Your Most Important Piece of Equipment

I read a pretty cool article today published by the United States Triathlon Association and written by Dr. Mitchell Greene about the most important piece of equipment a triathlete has.

Basically Dr. Greene tells how with all the new fangled tri gear coming out these days that our brain is still our most important piece of equipment and for that there is nothing new.

Mastering the mental game and facing our fears and doubts is the key to conquering mental mistakes. Dr. Greene then goes on to outline some real thought provoking suggestions well worth reading.

You can find the whole article here at this link: http://www.usatriathlon.org/resources/multisport-zone/multisport-lab/your-most-important-piece-of-equipment

Enjoy The Moment

Have you ever seen this following a triathlon?

Someone finishes an amazing triathlon race and then begins right away to focus on all the things that they did wrong or could have done better to improve their time.

My point is that triathletes particularly seem to be kinda hard on themselves. Maybe because so many are Type-A personalities.

It’s true that this can be a tough and demanding sport both physically and mentally that requires discipline, techniques, gear and nutrition decisions and so it's true there is a lot you can examine to criticize about yourself.

But come on, give yourself a break and just remember that not every race will be your personal best. Weather conditions combined with how you feel that day and also how your equipment performs will all combine to help determine your outcome.

My point is to simply stop and take a deep breathe and appreciate what you have accomplished. Enjoy achieving a personal best or an improvement in any stage or just the success of finishing.

It’s always good to review and reflect on how you can improve and shave time off your next race. But it’s also good to enjoy the achievement of the moment.

Your comments?

Rock on!

Ready. Set. Go. Swim.

At the beginning of any Triathlon race, many triathletes feel nervous and unsure about how their swimming segment will unfold on any given race day. Just remember, It’s normal to feel a little anxious when entering the water… especially if you're a newbie.

For some people it may be their first time racing in an open body of water. Sometimes it feels little frantic when it gets down to the point where your age group is called into the water or to the starting line. Concentrate on being calm and on your race strategy including sighting out the first buoy as your first milestone to stay focused on.

If you’re focused on strategy and milestones, you’ll have less time to think about being nervous.

Some people may even experience a panic attack but this is where you draw strength and confidence from all your training when waiting for the gun to sound at the starting line.

The key at that moment is to start out both relaxed and focused. Yes, it will be a little frantic at the beginning but just remember to breathe, stick to the stroke you have practiced and protect the space around your head as you jockey for your piece of open water.

For more open water swimming tips, go to: http://openwaterswimming.org/

Open Water Swimming Tips For New Triathletes – Part 2

Ready, set, go. After educating and arming yourself with all the safety and swimming tips you can find on open water swimming, there is nothing else left but to simply jump in and practice. There is no substitute for getting a feel for the differences between open water and a contained swimming / lap pool. Now it's just like the saying goes, practice, practice, practice.

The first most important tip is safety first. Don’t ever swim alone in an open body of water of any kind. Go in a group or with a partner and even better yet go with a buddy in a kayak who can spot for you.

Practice sighting. One of the biggest differences from training in a pool and swimming in open water is that there is no big black line on the bottom you can follow to keep you on track swimming straight. Before getting into the water look for identifiable land markers like a tall tree, a building, or just anything you can see each time you raise your head and look forward. This will really help to keep you swimming in the right direction.

If possible, always try to get in the water a day or two before the race and test out your sighting. Also, you can get a feel for the temperature of the water, the conditions and surroundings.

Relax and be confident in your training. Some say that you should start out a race hard and fast to gain a strong position ahead of your competitors and maybe that is for you if you are experienced in racing and swimming in open water. But, if you are a newbie I would suggest just get started and swim to get comfortable and confident.

Do you have any tips you would like to add? If so please do.

Open Water Swimming Tips For Triathletes – Part 1

It’s perfectly normal to have a little fear when looking ahead to open water swimming in your first triathlon. I have been racing in triathlons for years and I still get a little afraid every time before an open water swim start.

Actually, I think it’s a bit of a good thing to be a little afraid because it keeps you alert and on guard for an open water swim among a group of swimmers thrashing, kicking and jockeying for space.

They say that the order of the triathlon events is based on the most danger to you as a racer / participant starting with open water swimming then biking at sometimes high speeds and then running which is the least dangerous of the three disciplines.

At the beginning of a race I always think to myself that if I can just finish the swim without getting kicked in the head it will be all down hill from there. Then I get to the bike and think if I can just finish the bike without any flats or crashes, I’ll be in good shape. Then when I get to the run I think that if I can just finish the run without any injuries everything will be good. Then before you know it the race is over and that feeling of accomplishment is indescribable.

It is thrilling every time you finish the swim portion because to me it feels like I’m conquering something big. That’s why it’s important to observe a few key safety tips and we’ll cover those in part two.

Nutrition – Breaking The Cardinal Rule

Have you ever bonked in an Ironman triathlon? Bonking is when your body hits the wall, shuts down and may also be accompanied by getting cramps, feeling sick, light headed, dizziness and/or vomiting. 


This usually occurs from not consuming enough calories, not drinking enough or drinking too much during a long distance endurance race.


Bonking and not finishing an Ironman after many months of training and sacrifice is in its own way a personal horror story and is usually tied to the success or failure of a good nutrition and hydration plan.


So what kind of nutrition plan will help you address and prevent these potential race day issues?


The simplified answer is a plan that allows you hydrate and fuel your body at a pace and volume that helps you to sustain your race pace while feeling good throughout the entire race.


There are a couple really key components to this and the first is to practice ingesting all your nutrition and hydration products during your training so you get comfortable with what you like and what works with your body long before the race day.


Remember that you will need to be flexible enough to be able to adjust on race day for variables like the weather, your pace and how you are feeling that particular day.


There are some pretty good coaches, nutrition plans and training programs out there that will give you some great guidelines but nothing is a one size fits all so make sure to customize to what works for you including what you like.


For my long bikes, I eat a peanut butter and honey sandwich while my son Josh does cliff bars. He’s younger, faster, and a much smarter athlete than I am but my stomach likes the PBH so that’s what I do. Also, I’m out there longer than he is and so I need the extra calories to give me energy longer and a sandwich works better for me (even though I love Cliff bars).


When it comes to hydration, my caution is to not let yourself get dehydrated and conversely don’t over hydrate. Keep yourself on pace to consume enough of the right kinds of fluids your body needs throughout your entire race day.


And as far as the cardinal rule… don’t do ANYTHING different on race day that you have not practiced during training.


Now for my personal confession. I have broken this rule more than once. What’s that you’re saying? Some knuckleheads never learn? Okay, okay, I resemble that remark.


Remember, do as I say, not as I do. Have you ever broken the cardinal rule?

Swimming Tips & My Andy Potts Story

Some people can make open water triathlon swimming look so easy. Someone like Andy Potts world class triathlete with his long fluid freestyle swim strokes with disciplined rhythmic breathing as he glides so powerfully through the water.

In a recent USA Triathlon swim training video titled, “Triathlon: The Swim” vol. 2 of a 5 piece training series, Olympic Triathlete Andy Potts demonstrates how a few simple keys can have a remarkable effect on your open water swim results. (See link to full video and story below)

National coach Mike Doane narrates and provides key pointers that can dramatically change both your swim efficiency as well as your swim time performance and I highly recommend taking a look at this 7:53 minute video no matter what level swimmer you are.

Now for my fun Andy Potts story. A few years ago I raced in the Oceanside Ironman 70.3 and Andy Potts was one of the elite racers at that race as well. It was kinda exciting to be in the same race not that I would ever see him again after the elite group started their swim.

But at the end of the race and the end of the day, kicking back and basking in the excitement of the challenge and the accomplishment, my wife was showing me the pictures she took on our digital camera and I noticed that there were a lot more shots of Andy Potts than there were of me.

With a big smile she told me how exciting it was as he and the other elite athletes came through the transitions and then into a hotly contested finish. She wasn’t trying to imply that because I was sooooo far back that she wasn’t still proud of me, but who wouldn’t be on the edge of their seat watching world class athletes up close and in action? So I have a few good pic's of me at that race and a whole lot more of Andy... if you ever want them Andy :>)

So basically my point is that anytime Andy Potts is willing to give out swimming or any other kind of tips, I’m going to listen.

Ever have any fun race stories participating with the elites of our sport?

http://www.usatriathlon.org/resources/multisport-zone/multisport-lab/swimming-for-triathlon

Blazeman’s War On ALS – Inspiration Of The Day

I have been aware of Jon Blais since not long after his passing and the foundation that his mother and father have created to honor Jon and to wage a war against the disease ALS also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease that others might live.

When Jon was at the young age of 33 he accepted his diagnosis and made the decision to live out his days living life to the fullest by waging a war on his disease and fighting for research and awareness.

He became better known by his nickname the “Blazeman”. Having competed in triathlons for twenty years, Jon had always wanted to compete in an Ironman and not just any Ironman but THE Ironman in Hawaii.

Jon went on to accomplish that dream and became the only individual with ALS to complete an Ironman. When he crossed the finish line, Jon did so by rolling over it like a log and since then the “log roll” has become known around the Ironman and triathlon community as a symbol of hope and awareness in the fight against ALS.

The next time you need some inspiration and motivation, go watch the video “Jon Blais 2005” and get the full story at http://waronals.com/. I know it makes my problems seem a lot smaller and puts things into perspective for me.

I am even thinking I will log roll over my next Ironman finish.

Have you ever “log rolled” over the finish?

One Of The Original Ironman Dave Orlowski's Story. Wow...

Ever wonder what it was like to be in one of the first Ironman Triathlon competitors?

Well it’s night and day difference versus what it is today than what it was 30 years ago. When I did the Ironman Saint George in 2010, I got to hear the first hand account on the night before at our pre-race dinner and inspirational talk.

But now author Kevin Mackinnon inteviews Dave Orlowski one of the original Ironman competitors and it makes for some pretty interesting reading.

I can barely imagine doing an Ironman Triathlon in with all the support, nutrition, easy transitions, marked off venues and courses not to mention modern equipment compared to what it was back when the Ironman was in it's infancy. 

Read this and if you're like me your admiration meter will climb up the chart a couple hundred percent for those who invigorated a new and seemingly insane sport.

The bottom line is that then or now, anything is possible. If you can believe it, you can achieve it.

Congrats Dave and thanks for the inspiration.

Check out the full article here:

http://ironman.com/columns/ironmanlife/kevin-mackinnon-catches-up-with-one-of-the-original-ironman-competitors?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ironman%2Ftopstories+%28Ironman.com+Top+Stories%29#axzz1TAGJrTXU

Doing Your First Ironman? Things To Consider.

There are two different schools of thought out there about choosing which event you should choose as your first full Ironman Triathlon distance race.

The first, thinks that an WTC sanctioned event using the Ironman M-DOT logo is the favored race venue because it is the most well known, has the most recognition and prestige.

The second, thinks why overpay for the name when you can still compete in a full Ironman race in a good area of the country or the world, pay a lot less money and still have the personal satisfaction of achieving a major personal event like a full Ironman distance race.

I have heard these debates and must say each side has their own good points. My personal experience is that I did a WTC sanctioned Ironman race. I wanted the whole experience of the Ironman brand, hype, recognition and prestige that goes with saying I did the 2010 Ford Ironman Saint George race in its inaugural year.

Yes, I bought all the overpriced M-Dot stickers, gear, t-shirts etc. so I can be reminded of that experience.

Now, the cool thing is that everyone gets to choose for themselves what is the important criteria for them when choosing. But for the "what it's worth" category, I thought I’d offer a few things to think about as you decide:

• Very important consideration is picking the right course. If you can only train in FL on flat bike rides, you may not want to choose IMSG in UT which has one of the most challenging mountainous bike courses in North America.
• Does the race venue appeal to you aesthetically and would you have fun racing in that area of the country or the world?
• Would that race be the right challenge for you? Not too much. Not too little for the amount and kind of training you do?
• What about the weather. Will it be extremely hot when you have been training in cold temps or vice versa?
• What about the timing? Will you have to force your training or will it fit in nicely with your schedule?
• How about the expense of travel, lodging, meals, etc.

No matter what you decide is right for you the most important advice I can offer is to have FUN. Enjoy the journey of picking the right race, training for it and then the experience of doing it.

Anything else I have missed you want to comment on?

USA Triathlon – Do You Know The Race Rules?

Are you a USAT (USA Triathlon) member? Likely if you have done any races from a Sprint to an Ironman, you are either a full member or have been a day member of USAT.

When racing in a USAT sanctioned event, it’s important to know the rules because you can be penalized for rule violations. Being familiar with the USAT Official Rules will prevent you from getting a penalty. It only makes sense that you know the rules of your sport.

To read the entire rulebook, visit:

http://www.usatriathlon.org/resources/about-events/rules

Here are a few of the main rules to be familiar with:

1. TRANSITION AREA: All equipment must be placed in the properly designated and individually assigned bike corral. The wheel of the bicycle must be down on the side of the assigned space. All participants must return their bicycles to an upright position in their designated bicycle corral. No person shall interfere with another participant’s equipment or impede the progress of another participant. All bar ends must be solidly plugged. No participant shall bring ANY glass containers into the transition area.

Penalty: Variable time penalty.

2. HELMETS: Only helmets approved by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSO) may be used in USAT-sanctioned events. Helmets must be worn at all times while on your bike. This means before, during, and after the event.

Penalty: Disqualification

3. CHIN STRAPS: Must be buckled at all times when on a bicycle. DO NOT unbuckle your chin strap unless you are off your bicycle.

Penalty: Disqualification on the course; Variable time penalty in transition area only.

4. OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE: No assistance other than that offered by race and medical officials may be used. Triathlons and duathlons are individual test of fitness.

Penalty: Variable time penalty.

Are You A Beginner? Want To Give It A Tri?

Are you a beginner triathlete? Well at some point everyone is a beginner. A lot of times, people who want to try a “Tri” are already a runner or a biker or a swimmer and a friend, relative or coach suggested they incorporate some cross training and enter a triathlon. 

Or, you just got the bug and decided to set a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). Either way, welcome to the sport and the World of Triathlon.

As a newbie triathlete the first thing you will want to do is plan out a date for your first triathlon race and then sign up for it. For a first timer, I would suggest you start out with a Sprint distance Triathlon which is the shortest distance… usually a 0.5 mile swim, 12.4 mile bike and 3.1 mile run.

Once you’ve signed up, then you have a timeline that your training will be geared around. Now that you have a date, the next thing is to get a good training plan that gives you plenty of time to achieve the fitness you’ll need along with racing with multi-sport confidence.

Next is to look for a plan online or a coach who will help you customize a plan that fits your background, experience (or lack of experience), your fitness level and your goals. (Oh yeah, and always consult a doctor before beginning any new fitness program:>)

Remember to build up your fitness levels slowly as you incorporate a multi-sport training regimen to build up endurance, to avoid the risk of injury and that optimizes your experience on the “Funometer.”

Got a first race already planned?

Are You A Member Of The 100º Degree Club?

When it gets into the hot part of the summer here in Utah the temperatures reach over 100º during the middle of the day as it does in plenty of places all over the country and all over the world.

The issue is that if you are in training and if noontime is your time of the day to get your workout in, there’s not much chance to avoid exercising in the heat.

Back in the early 2000’s when George W. Bush was the President of the United States, he was a runner at that time and I remember either hearing or reading a story that on occasion he would run in the hot part of the day when he was at his compound in Texas where it can be very hot during the afternoon.

The rumor being that if you were scheduled to meet with President Bush and Lunch or afternoon was your time, you could go along for the run and talk while jogging in temperatures over 100º degrees. The rumor or report went that if you finished the 5k run distance with the President, that you would be given a T-Shirt that said, “Member Of The 100º Degree Club.”

Well I have never run with the President, but I have completed plenty of runs in temperatures over 100º (including another one yesterday) and so in my own mind I like to think I’m a member of the 100º degree club.

Are you a member of the 100º club so-to-speak?

Never Say Never!

This weekend I happened across the replay of the televised coverage of the 2010 Ironman Triathlon Championships in Kona, Hawaii. What an incredible race of skill, physical fitness and raw determination.

One of the things I love most, is that among the coverage they have of the elite athletes, they also showcase a variety of the "everyman" stories. Mothers, senior citizens, people overcoming physical calamities or diseases to fight their way back into the kind of shape to prepare and race in an Ironman. 

Some of these stories are remarkable and so inspiring it really makes you believe that if they can do this great thing that you can do it.

Quite a different feeling than the one I had over ten years ago the first time I happened across seeing my first Ironman race on TV. I still remember thinking to myself this is crazy. No, this is insane. I would never do that.

Well the rest is history as not only do I have my foot in my mouth because I have done it, but now I even write a blog called the World Triathlon Examiner. (haha)

It all leads me to my point which is that when I was a young adult, I did the same thing and one day told my dad about some thing or the other, “Dad, I’ll never do that.” In his quiet wise voice he said, ”Kevin don’t ever say never.”

Life has a funny way of throwing you curveballs and opening doors you could never ever imagine and so the bottom line is to keep an open mind because before you know it, your never could be coming along any day now.

Have you ever said “I’d never do that” and then ended up doing it sometime later in your life?

Awesome Race Week Strategies Checklist

In the Summer 2011, Volume 14, Issue 3 USA Triathlon Magazine, there is a great article written by Alan Ley about Youth Training Race Week Strategies.

Mr. Ley essentially makes the point that athletes never get faster until they rebuild and recover. He states, “More races are won or lost the seven days before a race than any other time. Pre-race mental and physical strategies will put you at the starting line in control, focused and in the ready-to-race mode.”

He then goes on to separate the differences in both mental and physical strategies and while it may be intended for youth training, I gotta tell ya, it makes a lot of sense to me for any age triathlete or triathlete newbie in training.

For mental strategies, he lists:

·    Stay focused on you. Reduce or eliminate the distractions of pre-race preparations. Get a routine or ritual that works for you and stick with it. My oldest son Josh taught me his step-by-step approach and it’s practical, it methodical and once done, you’re confident your ready

·    This is your time. Your thoughts are critical for setting the day’s tone so begin every day of race week with self-speak sayings like, “I feel great,” “It’s going to be my day,” or “I’m ready to perform to my full potential.

·    Be your own hero. Even if you’re not a world class triathlete, all that matters is what you think about yourself. So be your own hero, smile and have a great fun experience.

·    Mental strength can be your greatest power. When your body starts "talking" to you, its your mental toughness that will get you through the race. (I have to say, been there done that!)

·    Visualize each leg of the event. Be very specific when creating your mental images of the swim, bike and run.

For physical strategies, he lists:

·    Race week is about letting your body recover and rebuild from the overload of training stress.

·    Undertraining is always better than being overtrained. Also, don’t try to make up for lost training. (From my experience at my age, overtraining is just more opportunity for injury so I agree with this one)

·    Active rest is the best. Your body is used to moving on a consistent basis and doesn’t like doing nothing. This is where you exercise your brain and not your muscles to follow the rules of taper and let your body recover, rebuild and get ready for race day

·    Ride, run and swim on the racecourse. Get in the water, know the bike course and get in a short run if possible near the finish line area if you can to get a feel for it.

The only thing left is to check your equipment, your nutrition, stay hydrated, and stay focused on you and make it a great memorable fun experience.