Hopefully you have enjoyed the many articles Triathica has published since we started Triathica Weekly back in 2009. We always try to give our athletes the most sought after and up-to-date information to help them reach their training, racing and health goals. Although we have written nearly 100 articles since the start of our newsletter, we know there must be something we left out, or something you still have questions about.

Now we would like to hear from you!

If you have any questions, comments, or issues about anything triathlon and multisport related, feel free to send them on over. Chances are, if you have a question about anything, there is somebody else out there wondering the same thing. Who knows, you might see your question answered by one of our USAT certified coaches in an upcoming Triathica Weekly newsletter.

Please email all inquiries to info@triathica.com. If we feel your question should be featured in an upcoming newsletter, we will contact you first.

Now it’s your turn to be heard, ask away!

In 1986 Russ Jones weighed 145 pounds and was at the height of his athletic career. That year he took 2nd in the national duathlon championships, finishing second only to Mark Allen!

Fast-forward 24 years and Russ Jones is down to 145 pounds again but racing as one of the nation’s top 55 – 59 age group triathletes. He’s fit, he’s healthy and he’s going for his second #1 USAT ranking and national sprint triathlon and world triathlon age-group championships.

Several years ago, before his recent foot surgery, he was ranked #1 in the USAT standings above the likes of Joe Bonness and Kevin Moats – legends in their own right. He’s focused now and off to a great season.

One of the toughest things Russ has had to deal with this season is losing the extra 10 pounds he’s been carrying around since the holidays. We can all relate to that one. It’s been a real battle, even for a guy who’s used to battling.

The Race on the Base took place on February 27th at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base. It was going to be a tough day because of the weather.

The Race on the Base is a reverse triathlon, which means you run first, then bike then swim. This format is generally used when the swim takes place in a pool. As the field stretches out, the swim in the pool gets more manageable. Can you imagine starting 1,000 triathletes in a pool?

Anyway, Russ’ race was off to a good start. His 5K run time was 18:32, which is a 5:57 pace! Not bad for a 55 year-old dude!

He was feeling strong getting on to the bike and actually posted the fastest bike split (something he’s used to doing) for the 12-mile bike ride. 29:07, which is 24.73 miles per hour . . . in the pouring rain!

He figures he was 2nd overall after the bike portion of the race but got gobbled up by several younger, fishlike swimmers in the 200-yard swim and finished 6th overall and 1st in his age-group.

So the question is, “How does he do it?” I’ve been friends with Russ for several years now and can tell you he has no secrets – he’ll tell you exactly how he does it. If you’d like to learn more you can retain Russ to help you with your short-course training because he’s on his way to becoming a USAT certified coach himself.

His #1 secret? Less is more . . .

I consider myself to be extremely lucky to have been coached by some of the legends of triathlon. And, my coaching goes on still. Yes, even coaches need coaching!

Among my coaches are Dave Scott, Mark Allen, Paul Huddle, Paul Newby Fraser, Michael Lovato, Jimmy Ricitello, Michael McCormack, Mike Collins, Kevin Koskella and John Howard. John who?

If you haven’t seen 50 candles on your birthday cake it’s quite conceivable that you don’t know the name John Howard. Let me fill you in on some of his accomplishments:

 Competed in the 1968, 1972 and 1976 Olympic games
 1971 won the gold medal at the Pan American Games
 7.20.85 set the motor pacing speed record of 152 MPH on the Bonneville Salt Flats on a bicycle
 1981 won the Ironman World Championship

Two years ago after I bought my new Cervelo P3C from Edge Cyclesports I went down to John’s house in San Diego to tweak the already great bike fit I got from Hank. John spent two hours with me, meticulously measuring and testing to make sure I could get as much power as possible. He’s a real pro.

So yesterday (Sunday, February 28th), I’m riding through downtown San Clemente on my way home from a 90-mile ride, and I see a white haired guy up ahead weaving all over the road trying to talk on his cell phone. (Not a good idea but something I have done myself.)

So I pass him and get stuck at the next light. He pulls up behind me but I don’t see his face. Same thing happens for another couple lights. Then all of a sudden this guy takes off downhill BETWEEN the moving cars and weaves in and out of traffic. I’m thinking that I’m about to see a guy get squashed!

Fortunately he gets stopped at another traffic light after his little stunt and I look over at him . . . it’s John Howard, and I say “There’s only one maniac out there that could have made that move!” We chatted for a minute and rode for a couple miles. He checked out my bike fit and as soon as he appeared, he was gone. He must have been motoring along at 35 MPH the last I saw of him.

This sport is great for so many reasons, not least of which are the really great, and approachable people we’ve got in it.

Cheers!

Well, the day is nearing . . . the day of the season’s first ocean swim (for me). It had to happen sometime and that day is getting closer.

Many of you reading this are competing in the California Ironman 70.3 on Saturday, March 27th. Chances are, most of you aren’t looking forward to the swim (myself included).

So, since misery loves company, I’d like to invite everyone (whether you’re doing the race or not) to join me in doing my first open water swim.

Date: Wednesday, March 17th
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: Big Corona

See you there!

Ron

A little over a week ago, my husband and I found ourselves at the start line for the Tour de Palm Springs. We have never been to Palm Springs, and we have never participated in a ride of this sort. So, of course, we knew we had to give it a try despite the fact that his longest ride had been 30 miles recently and my longest was 55. But that didn’t matter. We had convinced ourselves this was not a race. We were going to have a good time!

The weather was absolutely perfect that day. There was some wind but it wasn’t bad at all. The sight of all the people and bikes at the start line was amazing. It was a first for me so I wanted to absorb all the energy to help me get through my first 100-mile ride.

I felt the first leg of the ride dragged on. I couldn’t believe how much time it took to get to the first SAG stop. There were a lot of people to navigate around before we settled at our pace. It took some time for me to warm up as well.

The climb was gradual but I could feel myself working hard. My goal was to go hard for the first half of the ride. I had not planned on stopping until after 50 miles. Unfortunately, it was nearly impossible to get through the first SAG stop without dismounting. The crowd was huge and there was no room to ride through.

Just a short stop and off we went. The second leg went by quickly. The downhill was great. We did see a rider taken away by ambulance so that was a reality check to stay alert. At this point, we had settled in with a larger group. I have never ridden in a pack so this was a little nerve wracking for me. I have been spoiled with all the trail rides in Orange County and the closed bike routes during the triathlon races. But, with 100 miles to practice, I eventually became comfortable!

Before I knew it, we passed the third SAG stop. I was doing well until about mile 35. I was feeling pretty tired at this point and decided to draft behind my husband. I still had more than half the ride to complete so I had to play it safe. After about 5 miles, I felt better and took the lead. Before I knew it, we were at the half way point. It couldn’t have come sooner. The road was getting rough right before the stop. Lunch was a nice spread of different sandwiches, Chex Mix, M&Ms. We ate very little despite the vast array of choices we had. I just didn’t know how my body would react to real food during a ride. I stuck with my Clif Bloks and Perpetuem, which worked out fine.

The last 50 miles flew by. I was enjoying the scenery and getter bolder on the road while my husband looked for excuses to get off the bike and rest. We stopped once so he could offer his bike pump to someone in need (there were a lot of flat tires on this course). After that little rest and a lot of chit chat, he got his second wind, and we were off. We got lost briefly following a group. We had just mentioned how lucky we were to be following people who knew where they were going. Once we were back on track, we decided we should glance at the map so we had a clue where to go. Up to that point, we weren’t really worried about the directions.

At last, we found ourselves heading for the finish line. We had exchange leads the entire way with many groups. In the end, a huge crowd of us seem to cross the finish together. It was very thrilling to accomplish a century for the first time! The energy of the crowd was amazing throughout the whole ride. I did not feel exhausted at all after the ride. In fact, I felt motivated to attempt another long ride in the near future. My body, however, told me I needed to give it some time to rest. And so I did for about a week!

A few weeks back I lamented about four local merchants that went under in this rough economy. This week I’m happy to report that a genuine institution in the triathlon world is actually expanding . . . our good friends at Edge Cyclesports.

Hank and Mary Ann at Edge are more than store proprietors, they’re merchants of speed! I bought my first Trek bike from Hank when I first moved to California. That bike is now in Jarrett’s garage and still has a few good miles left in it.

Since then I’ve bought two more bikes from Edge. A Kestrel and my Cervelo P3C (I no longer can blame my bike for my slow times).

I’m a huge believer in buying local. I can’t stand to see our local businesses going under and I often wonder if perhaps I’d just spent a little more money there (along with my friends) could we have saved them? I’m not sure, but I strongly encourage you to go to the new Edge Cyclesports opening Monday, March 1st.

Sure, you can probably buy most of the same stuff Edge sells online but whom are you supporting? The things the online merchants can’t do for you is give you the information and advice you need that may make your entire training and racing experience better.

When I walk into Edge I simply ask Hank to make me faster. Sometimes the response is just to “pedal harder” but sometimes it’s to change my set-up, replace my chain or to do nothing at all. I put all of my trust into Hank and the gang at Edge and I know lots of others that do too.

Go see Hank and Mary Ann at their new store (not far from the old one), and tell them Triathica sent you.

Edge Cyclesports
23561 Ridge Route, Suite J/K (new address)
Laguna Hills
949.472.9497

Were you aware that I wrote a book for beginner triathletes called the “Triathica Triathlon Roadmap” and that you can download it for free? That’s right; people that already subscribe to our weekly newsletter can download it for free!

We’re trying to increase our readership so please pass this link along to anyone else you know who is interested in triathlon. Triathica Triathlon Roadmap

Now, for those of you that have read the book I would appreciate it if you could take two minutes (literally) to drop me a line with what you thought about it. The reason is the more positive buzz we can create the more people will download it.

I will consider this a personal favor and will forever say good things about YOU!!!

Thanks!

Ron

It is human nature to be scared of unfamiliar territory. We are all excellent at making excuses to keep ourselves from going out of our comfort zone and trying something new. These excuses could be keeping us from doing things that could change our lives for the better.

For many people, the idea of competing in a triathlon can be a scary thing. There are countless excuses not to try a triathlon, but even more reasons why you should. Here are some common excuses keeping people from venturing into the sport and why they may not be very good ones.

I don’t have enough time to train:

The average American spends an average of 127 hours watching television and 26 hours on the Internet per month. Even a quarter of this amount of time is more than enough to train for all three sports included in a triathlon. Depending on the distance you choose to race, you can easily get enough quality training with less than 10 hours a week.

Not to say that training for a triathlon isn’t a sacrifice, because many times you do have to give up some things, but a few less hours a week on Facebook and Twitter could make a world of difference. So turn off those reality TV shows and lace up your running shoes, in the end you will not regret it.

I’m not a (swimmer/cyclist/runner):

You do not have to already be good at all three sports, or any of them, to compete in a triathlon. Even world-class triathletes have weaknesses they must work on to even be competitive. It helps to come from a background in one of the three sports, but there are plenty of excellent triathletes that had no prior experience in any of the sports before doing their first triathlon. You may have to put in more time in one or two of the sports to get them up to par with the others, but a good coach and training plan can definitely get you there.

I’m too out of shape:

All the more reason to try a triathlon. There are people of all different ages, shapes, and sizes competing in triathlons. Anyone can do it if they start slow and build their fitness up one step at a time. If you go out too hard, too fast, you may get burned out before your body has time to catch up. Again, a good training plan and a coach can help you progress at a rate that is appropriate for your abilities.

I’m scared of not finishing:

Not finishing is always a possibility. Flat tires, crashes, and injuries have kept even the best triathletes from the finish line. There are certain things you can’t control, but one thing you can control is how you prepare. Put the time in, put your miles in, and you won’t have to worry about your fitness being what keeps you from finishing. Even if you don’t finish, you still did what 99% of people have never done. You stepped up to the starting line of a triathlon and gave it all you had.

I have no idea where to start

There are an infinite number of resources to help you start your triathlon journey. Check out websites like, www.triathica.com www.beginnertriathlete.com or many others dedicated to helping new athletes figure out what they need to do to succeed. There are thousands of books dedicated to the subject as well including Triathica’s Triathlon Roadmap as well.

You can also join your local triathlon club to find training partners, get advice, and ask questions. Find a certified triathlon coach to help you create a custom training plan based on your abilities and available training time. There is no shortage of information on how to start training for a triathlon if you know where to find it. So get out there and try something new. Even if you only do one race, it is something you carry with you forever.

Successful triathletes know that periodizing their training is the key to getting the best results possible. Periodization is defined as the “progressive cycling of various aspects of a training program during a specific period of time.” When an athlete periodizes their training, they basically break down their training year into smaller cycles. Each cycle’s goal is different and works on a different aspect of a triathlete’s performance. One cycle may be to focus on longer and slower distances to increase endurance, while another cycle may focus on higher intensity efforts to raise an athlete’s lactate threshold and enable them to go faster while fatiguing less.

When an athlete changes up their training like this, their nutritional requirements also change. In order to get the most out of training, the foods you eat should change along with your training. How does this work?

Once we start thinking about food as fuel, it becomes clearer. When you are in your highest volume of training, your body needs extra fuel to give your body the energy it needs to get through your workouts. When in the offseason or a lower volume cycle, the goal should be eating clean foods and managing or losing any extra weight.

Many athletes make the mistake of trying to lose a few extra pounds before a race, but this is when you need to be keeping your body adequately fueled by eating more. The time to lose weight is not in the cycle leading up to the race, but much earlier during offseason or a low intensity cycle far out from your race.

Here are a few guidelines to help you periodize your nutrition along with your training:

- If you need to lose extra weight, stick with a high lean protein diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. Keep carbohydrate intake to a minimum. This should only be done far out from a race when training volume is low.

- When your training starts to increase during a build phase, begin to incorporate more whole grains and complex carbohydrates into your diet. Stick with whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, etc. Try to stay away from processed carbs, sugars, and fatty foods. Make sure to indulge every once in a while, but don’t overdo it.

- During your race phase, make sure you are taking in plenty of complex carbs to fuel your intense workouts. This is not the time to go on a diet and limit your calories.

- Just listen to your body and increase caloric intake slowly to discourage rapid weight gain. If you are not hitting your goal times and have trouble completing longer distance workouts, you might not be eating enough. If you start gaining weight rapidly, you may be eating too much.

A certified dietitian can help you create a custom nutrition plan. If you need some help creating a periodized training plan, consult a certified triathlon coach. Get your nutrition plan on pace with your training plan and you will be surprised at what you can do.

Until a couple weeks ago I’d never heard of the San Dieguito Half Marathon. That’s the problem with living in paradise – there are so many great options.

As you know, I’m into my Ironman training now, and as part of that I love the half marathon race distance. The distance really seems to help build speed and endurance without trashing you for a couple weeks.

San Dieguito is down in Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego County just east of Solana Beach. The area is beautiful with lots of trees and hills. Seven of us carpooled down there, which was fun in itself. Since we had a woman on board we were all on our best behavior (no farting!).

The weather was perfect and San Dieguito Park was beautiful. Truly a great place for a picnic if you’re looking to get away.

The race starts down the hill from San Dieguito Park and winds through the streets of Rancho Santa Fe, over the aforementioned hills. Hills at times that didn’t seem to have an end!

Scott (Scooter) Callender and Larry (Lar Dog) Davidson set the pace for our group. I started to run with Gary Clendenin but couldn’t hang with him.

At about mile two I saw Lar Dog off on the left side of the road working on his foot. He had a sharp pain in the top of his foot that forced him to stop. After about a minute he’d fixed the problem and promptly blew by me.

Shortly after that I passed Gary at one of the aid stations. I didn’t look back but thought he was just behind me. It wasn’t until later that I saw he’d dropped back a bit.

Since I loaded my legs from a 50+ mile bike ride the day before with Stu Lowndes into Huntington Beach I was hurting the entire way (RPE 10). There were opposing forces at work. My legs ached so they didn’t want to go fast but my heart rate was also up because I’d trashed myself the day before. Either way there wouldn’t be a PR in it for me today.

Everyone had a great time but Scooter absolutely killed this really tough course!

Scott Callender: 1:30:58 (6:57)
Larry Davidson: 1:33:55 (7:10)
Ron Saetermoe: 1:37:23 (7:26)
Kari Krause: 1:37:28 (7:27)
Gary Clendenin: 1:38:24 (7:31)
Sara Gilles: 1:39:43 (7:37)
Pete Kobrak: 1:41:42 (7:46)

Other notable racers:

Kate Major: 1:20:24 (6:08)
Michellie Jones: 1:22:18 (6:17)
Joanna Zeiger: 1:22:42 (6:19)

So your “A” race is over. You’re probably feeling good about your experience (if you prepared adequately) and are still hobbling around and nursing your blisters. Good for you!

What’s next? This is typically when many triathletes start getting depressed. All of the hard work is behind them and there is no immediate goal on the horizon. Wow! No mandatory 4:30 a.m. alarms and jumping into a freezing pool!

Your top priority now is to slack off! That’s right; take it easy for the next several weeks. Sleep in, eat some fast food and stay off your feet.

This period in your training is just as important as all of the other periods because you need to allow your body to heal from the constant pounding you’ve been giving it. Many triathletes worry about losing all of the hard-earned fitness during this period, and you will lose some, but it will come back.

My favorite activities when I’m in the taper period is swimming, easy bike rides and walking. All three will help you recover and won’t tax your body unnecessarily.

Enjoy these weeks. Plan your next season and just take it easy . . .

The key things about the Taper Period are:

- Any workouts should be directed toward recovery not fitness building
- Concentrate on low impact exercise with low intensity
- It’s okay to so some light resistance training
- Enjoy the taper . . . next season is just ahead!

Here’s what the ideal Triathica year looks like:

Again, we feel that three, three-week cycles within each period is optimal for building fitness and recovery. The time to build strength, speed and endurance is upon you. Make the best of it!

Cheers!

Ron

This subject has been written about plenty of times but I thought I’d give you my take on it. First, I’ve been racing since 1983 and have done well over 100 races and I still get nervous. So, if you’re thinking the more you do this the less nervous you’ll get, you’re dreaming.

Some say the nervousness you feel is a good thing. I don’t know if it is or not. All I know is that I have it. The key thing for me is learning how to channel it and deal with it.

I find that I’m more nervous before “big” races than less important races( DUH!). Makes sense, but if you think about it rationally, this will help reduce the tension before your lesser important races. Stress before the “big” races, not the smaller ones.

Sleep is crucial to performing at your best. The problem is that it’s frequently difficult to sleep the night before a race. So here’s what I do. I aim to sleep as much as possible two nights before the race, knowing that I’m not likely to get too much sleep the night before the race. Then, you’ll at least have some energy still in the tank.

Another ploy I have is to take a nap the day before a race. Now, when I nap I’m only grabbing 20 – 30 minutes. That way it won’t keep me up later that night.

When you’re on the road and sleeping away from your own home it’s best to try to do whatever relaxes you. Go to the spa or steam room, read a book, eat your favorite comfort food, have a glass of beer or wine. Anything that will help you wind down.

So why is it important to get sleep anyway? Won’t the adrenaline carry me through the race? One of the main reasons you want to get plenty of sleep is because the body and mind repair themselves when you’re at rest. If you track your heart rate on a regular basis, notice what your heart rate is when you wake up from a morning of good sleep and another when you didn’t. You’ll find your “resting heart rate” is between 5 to 10 beats faster when you don’t get good rest.

And, yes, the adrenaline may carry you through to the finish but if you’re well rested you’ll always perform better.

This is what it’s all been leading up to . . . your Race Period. This is when you give your training everything you’ve got. Your volume and intensity max during this period; and it is intense!

While “stuff happens” you really need to try to stay on task during this period. No slacking off now. You may be getting nervous about your race at this point and wondering if your training was adequate. If you’re a typical “A” type triathlon personality you’ll never feel like you’ve done everything you could have to prepare.

You must be very careful during this period NOT to over train, and to make sure you get plenty of rest on your recovery days. Too many athletes think that more is better and while you will be doing more volume you also need to get your rest or all of the hard work simply won’t take.

Go over the race on paper (or computer) and in your head. Review the website and any course maps, rules, directions, etc. Go to the race site in advance if you can and do the course.

I’m going to try to get a slot at IM St. George on May 1st so a bunch of us are going out to St. George to ride and run the course in March. This will give us an edge come race day.

You’ll either pull back on the resistance training or end it all together during this period – you’re probably totally ripped anyway by now! In addition, this phase includes the CRITICAL taper prior to your event.

The length of your taper will depend on the event you’re training for. Here’s what I like to do:

Sprint: 3 days
Olympic: 1 week
½ IM: 2 weeks
IM: 3 weeks

By now you should have your nutrition completely dialed in. Don’t change anything at this late date. Stay focused.

The key things about the Race Period are:

- Don’t miss workouts unless sick or injured
- Continue to increase your training volume and intensity
- Resistance (strength) training ends
- “Brick” workouts should be getting longer in distance
- Recovery is critical
- Taper

Here’s what the ideal Triathica year looks like:

Again, we feel that three, three-week cycles within each period is optimal for building fitness and recovery. The time to build strength, speed and endurance is upon you. Make the best of it!

Cheers!

Ron

Triathletes are in a constant battle against themselves. We go out and train, beating up our bodies, with the knowledge that all our hard work will translate into adaptations that will enable us to swim, bike, and run faster and longer. There is no greater feeling than continuously going out and improving upon your performances from the weeks, months, and years previous.

Unfortunately, this feeling does not last forever. Every triathlete eventually hits a point where, no matter how hard they train; they can’t seem to improve even a small amount, if at all. This is known as a plateau and is common among all types of athletes. There are several reasons for this and ways to get around plateaus, so there’s no need to panic.

1. Stagnant Training Routines

Many of us like to stay in our comfort zones. We get into a comfortable training routine that we like and have shown us good performance gains in the past. Just because it has worked does not mean it will work forever. Your body is very good at adapting to outside stress, so if you maintain the same routine for months without switching things up, your body will stop responding to the stress and you will not see the gains you want.

To prevent this, you need to change things around every once and a while. When building a training plan, you need to vary not only distance, but also intensity, volume, rest periods, etc. A good periodized training plan should incorporate all these aspects and keep your body constantly guessing.

2. Poor Diet

Your body is a machine and it needs fuel to function properly. This is even more important for athletes. Your performance will reflect the kinds of food you put into it. You should stick with calorically dense foods like fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates (oatmeal, whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, etc.) and lean protein (chicken, fish, lean beef, turkey).

Try to stay away from processed foods and sugars as much as you can. An occasional treat will not hurt, just stick with a 90/10 rule. Follow a sensible diet 90% of the time, and feel free to eat whatever you want 10% of the time, in moderation, of course.

3. Overtraining

The amount of rest you give your body is just as important as your training. Without proper rest, your body will not have time to absorb the training and make the adaptations that lead to increased performance. If you are constantly fatigued, sore, and/or not hitting your target times in training, there is a good chance you are not giving your body enough rest. Too much rest is better than too little. Just listen to your body and dial it back a few notches if you need to. In this case, less is more.

Although there are some reasons for plateaus that cannot be overcome (age, injury, genetics, etc.), most of the time all it takes is a small adjustment in training or lifestyle to keep the gains coming. Listen to your body, get a good coach, and you will continue setting PR’s and getting the most out of your training.

I’m an expert about the “bonk.” Ask me anything!

For example, did you know there are different kinds of bonk? Sure, you have the nutritional bonk, the cardio bonk, the muscular bonk and the run into the wall bonk. I’ve experienced all four varieties.

One of my Ironman mentors, Chris Johnson (qualified, and completed, 15 consecutive Ironman World Championships) purposely goes out and bonks. This gives him an idea of how hard he can push himself before he bonks. Aren’t we triathletes nutty?

The first time I experienced any kind of bonk was during my first marathon back in 1979. I had heard of “hitting the wall” but didn’t think there was anything you could do about it – it just happens. Of course, I didn’t know back then that it probably would have been a good idea to eat something or at least drink the Gatorade they had on the course.

I bonked in 2008 during my first Ironman: Ironman Coeur d’Alene. This was a muscular bonk. Not to say I wouldn’t have bonked anyway, but I wasn’t able to finish my training plan because I broke two ribs five weeks prior to my race. On second thought, let’s blame it on that.

I bonked again in 2008 at Ironman Arizona. This time it was a nutritional bonk. My personal problem when going hard is taking in anything solid, even gels. For some reason my stomach just doesn’t like anything solid. I had my gels and even made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but couldn’t stomach any of them.

The bike portion of the race was fine but when I got to the run I was toast! I had nothing in the tank. My legs felt fine and my heart rate was fine but I had no energy. I started walking and was able to pick my pace up throughout the race only because I was able to take some calories in.

Last year Lar Dog, Larry Davidson, turned me on to Infinit. I mix it up to triple strength and sip it and chase it with water. Voila! No bonk! I’ve practiced and raced with it numerous times and not only don’t I bonk but I also don’t get hungry. Problem solved.

I’m sure there are plenty of other fine products out that can perform the same miracles, but for my money, Infinit is it!

Last week I discussed the Base Period of your training year, this week we move on to the next period, which is the Build Period.

Once you’ve finished with the Base Period your fitness should be quite good. Now you’re going to continue building your endurance and speed. Your training load increases and missed workouts should be avoided unless sick or injured.

You should still be hitting the gym during this period and increasing the effort in your resistance training. I generally do 10 different exercises in my resistance training – two sets of each exercise. You may be increasing your sets, reps, weight or all three.

Be sure you’re incorporating speed, power and endurance workouts in all three sports during this period, and don’t forget to continue doing bricks (swim/bike and/or bike/run).

During your long rides and runs be sure to test your nutrition and get it completely dialed in so you know what you’ll need to complete your race (if you’re doing the long stuff).

The key things about the Build Period are:

- Don’t miss workouts unless sick or injured
- You continue to increase your training volume and intensity
- Resistance (strength) training increases
- “Brick” workouts should be getting longer in distance
- Don’t forget to incorporate recovery days and weeks in your plan (your fitness takes hold when your body is at rest)

Here’s what the ideal Triathica year looks like:

Again, we feel that three, three-week cycles within each period is optimal for building fitness and recovery. The time to build strength, speed and endurance is upon you. Make the best of it!

Cheers!

Ron

Side stitches, cramps, whatever you want to call them, they hurt. Every runner, at one point of another, has had to battle through a side stitch during training or racing. The pain can become so bad it forces us to slow down, or in extreme cases, stop completely. What exactly causes these side stitches and are there ways to make them go away when they happen, or better yet, prevent them altogether?

A side stitch, technically known as exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP), is not a buildup of gas or cramping of the abdominal muscles. It actually originates in the diaphragm, the muscle that helps you breathe and separates your organs from your chest cavity. You see, when you breathe in, your diaphragm naturally moves downward to increase the capacity of air your lungs can take in. As your diaphragm moves up during exhaling, it brings your organs up with it.

The problem is when you run, you have gravity working against you, even more so than when you’re standing still. When you take each stride while running, your organs are pulled down by gravity, but your exhaling causes your diaphragm to move up. These opposing forces cause the ligaments and muscles connecting your organs to your diaphragm to stretch, which is very painful. This phenomenon can then make your diaphragm to go into spasms, which causes the painful cramps we often experience.

Once a side stitch comes, it is hard to get rid of. You can try sticking a few fingers under your ribs to try to massage the muscles and ligaments. Deep breathing also helps get rid of the stitch faster, since shallow breathing usually prolongs the spasming. If all else fails, slow down or stop until the pain leaves. If you are made of steel and feel no pain, just push through it, the choice is yours.

One way to prevent side stitches completely is to change your breathing pattern. If you tend to exhale mostly when your right foot is hitting the ground, your large liver could be causing more pain as it is pulled away from your diaphragm. Organs are smaller on the left side, so try exhaling when on left foot strikes.

Proper hydration and warm-up is also key in preventing the side stitch. Dehydration, sodium deficiency, and cold muscles can make the side stitch come faster and be harder to get rid of. Hopefully you can implement some of these tips and say farewell to your side stitch woes for good.

You just had your hardest training session of the week, your muscles are screaming, and you need relief now! Nothing looks more appealing than the hot steam rising up from a hot tub, urging you to come take a dip and ease your pain.

Although a nice warm bath or Jacuzzi feels great after a hard training session, it may not be the best thing for your muscles. In fact, it may even put a damper in your recovery. After a hard workout, you actually damage your joints and muscles. No, not serious damage like an injury, but micro-trauma that causes your muscles to become inflamed and swollen. Your body healing from this is what allows you to adapt and become stronger, faster, etc.

The faster you can reduce this inflammation and swelling, the sooner you will recover and be ready for your next workout. The best way to do this is with cold, not hot. A cold- water bath following exercise is believed to reduce swelling and breakdown of tissue, constrict blood vessels, and flush out waste products from your muscles like lactic acid. Scientific studies are mixed on the subject, but athletes that use cold-water baths swear by it. We say cold water, and not ice water, because the water does not actually have to be ice cold to get the benefits. “Ice” water can actually be less effective than just “cold” water that is around 50-60 degrees. Plus, it is much more tolerable.

The time you should spend in the water varies in opinion. The most common duration is immersion for 10-14 minutes, but like most things, it probably varies depending on the individual. Just experiment with cold-water immersion in the bathtub, pool, ocean, etc. See how your legs feel the next day compared to what you felt like without cold-water therapy.

Another practice is to alternate cold and hot water for several cycles. For instance, try alternating one-to-two minutes cold, two minutes hot for around three cycles. Only submerge your legs and lower torso when trying any of these methods. It can be dangerous for your whole body to experience temperature change this rapidly. You should never try any of these methods without thoroughly cooling down after a workout for around 10-15 minutes. It is like putting hot metal in cold water, it just doesn’t mix well.

Try to experiment with some different techniques and record your results so you can go back, review your notes, and see what worked the best. One thing is for sure, the worst thing to do after a workout is to not cool down and just plop on the couch. You will take much longer to recover and will miss out on vital performance gain opportunities.

We had a great ride Saturday, January 23rd. Two years ago Larry (Lar Dog), Kirk Matkin (Matkin Design) and I made the same ride. This year it was Larry, Daniel, Camille and I.

The idea was to ride down to Carlsbad to pick up our bibs for the half marathon the following day. Since it rained practically all week prior, our ride was in doubt, but the clouds broke and we went for it. I picked up a few more miles, and hills, just for fun. About 85 for me total.

I picked Lar Dog up at 6:00 a.m. Sunday for our 7:30 a.m. half-marathon start. The air was clear and crisp. I think it was high 40’s around start time and mid-50’s by the time we finished. Perfect!

Anyway, on the way down Larry and I were both complaining about how we felt after our spirited ride the day before. Neither one of us felt a PR coming on.

Larry was shooting for a 7:00 minute pace and I was shooting to finish – period!

We were seeded in the first wave (pretty cool idea, actually) and hit the first mile pretty hard. There was a large uphill climb over the I-5 so our first mile was 7:15. We were running along side a 1:35:00 pacer, which would be a great finishing time for me.

Mile two was quite a bit faster because we had to come down the same hill. Mile two: 6:30.

After that I simply waved goodbye to the Dog. Larry did a great job maintaining his 7:00 pace, but I fell back. My quads were toast from the day before. And while it hurt to run I knew that it would pay dividends later.

If you’ve never raced in Carlsbad you probably don’t know that the town really gets behind their sporting events (including the Carlsbad Triathlon). They literally close down the Pacific Coast Highway. The run along the ocean is great and inspiring.

Anyway, throughout the race I passed the 1:35:00 pacer guy, then he passed me, then I passed him. That’s pretty much how it went all morning. The crazy thing is that no one was running with him that I could see. I wouldn’t have run with him because he had no idea how to pace. One mile he’s running 8:00 pace and the next he’s at 6:30. What a goof!

The race seemed long and my pace slowed as the miles clicked by but I managed to finish in 1:37:51 (7:28 pace), which was good enough for 20th out of 225 finishers (9%).

I’ll take it!

Two weeks ago I discussed the Adaptation Period of your training year. Most triathletes are probably still in this period now and looking forward to the Base Period.

The base period is when you’ll start building your “base” fitness, which will carry you through the rest of the year. At Triathica, all of our periods last nine weeks, but if you have time in your training schedule, it would do you good to add a couple weeks here in the Base Period.

By now your body should be quite adapted to a regular training regimen. You may still experience some muscle soreness, but it shouldn’t be as bad. Continue the hot/cold treatment to help relax the muscles and reduce the swelling.

One week from now I’ll be beginning my Base Phase of training. Keep in mind that no one trains exactly according to the ideal schedule. There are many factors that impact it. Family commitments, business travel, illness and other races. For this reason, you’ll need to back off on your training from time-to-time. When you do this, don’t try to make up for lost workouts. Depending on how many days you’ve missed you may have to ramp back up slowly.

I’ve been doing some half marathons so that obviously takes me out of my normal training routine. When it does, I gradually return to my training plan.

The key things about the adaptation period are:

- You attempt to stay on your training plan as much as possible
- You increase your training volume and intensity
- You regularly include resistance (strength) training
- You shouldn’t be as sore as you were in the Adaptation Period
- You include “brick” workouts every week (one to two)

Here’s what the ideal Triathica year looks like:

Again, we feel that three, three-week cycles within each period is optimal for building fitness and recovery. The time to build strength, speed and endurance is upon you. Make the best of it!

Cheers!

Ron