Lonestar Multisport

True Blue Swimming

2011-11-30T13:59:00.000-08:00

All,

Check this out from our friends at True Blue Swimming!!!

Starting in January (possibly December depending on the response) I will be offering swim clinics specifically designed to provide instruction in three areas of swimming; introduction to swimming, stroke mechanics and effective training strategies.

The clinics will meet for 2 hours (6:00-8:00pm) on Friday and 4 hours on Saturday morning (7:00-11:00am). Proposed dates are below. The goal of each clinics is to provide quality instruction using illustration, videos, demonstrations, interactive coaching. Class size will be limited to a maximum of 6 athletes to ensure individual attention is provided and needs are met. Specific content areas allow individuals to receive precise instruction for their needs instead of a shotgun approach. As you know, so many topics can be covered in a swim clinic. A focused approach will yield greater success for the participants.

In consideration for your support and promotion of the EOS Swim Clinics to your athletes I am willing to make this offer. All those who sign up by December 1, 2011 will receive one thirty minute one-on-one training session with me at no charge. In addition for your promotion and support I would like to offer you a personal video stroke analysis or test set analysis.

You can use this yourself or gift it to one of your clients as a reward or incentive. In addition we are offering a $50 tuition reduction for those that sign up for the December Clinics. And the first four participants who sign up will receive 1 personal video analysis, a $100 value!

Complete details are at trueblueswimmer.com

Proposed Clinic Dates

December 2^nd & 3^rdEssential Fundamentals

December 9^th & 10^th Efficient Stroke Mechanics

January 5^th & 6^th Effective Training Strategies

January 13^th & 14^th Essential Fundamentals

January 20^th & 21^st Efficient Stroke Mechanics

January 27^th & 28^st Effective Training Strategies

$224 – Facility Members, $249 – Program Members.

Discounts will be available for participants that attend additional clinics.

Maximum 6 participants per clinic.

Sign-up and pay by December 1 and receive free personal session.

Volunteers Needed - Oil Man Half Iron

2011-10-16T06:14:00.000-07:00

Volunteer Call: We're in need of 30 volunteers to help with the run course of Oil Man Half Iron on Nov. 6th!!!! There are two shifts: 9:00a to 12:30p and 12:00p to 3:30p. Please e-mail me if you'd like to help: jendanyell@yahoo.com.

http://www.out-loud.org/ironstar_triathlon.htm

Thank you!

Jennifer Zambarno

Snapping Tortuga Open Water Swim - November 13, 2011

2011-09-30T05:57:00.000-07:00

5k & 2.5k November 13, 2011

Location: The Boat Ramps Located at 14099 FM 830 Willis, TX 77318

Time: 5k Open Water Swim- 7:30am

2.5k Open Water Swim- 7:45am

Awards: Will be given for Top 3 Overall for Each Division

Course Descriptions: The 5k Course will start on the beach to the right of the Boat Ramps and it will be 2 Loops. The 2.5k will start at the same location and will be a 1 Loop Course.

SWAG- T-shirts and Fit Kit will be given to every Senior Division Participant.

Junior Divisions will receive a Fit Kit and have the option to purchase a T-shirt for $15.

Click Here to Register Now! Take Advantage of the Early Registration Price.

2011 Fire Response

2011-09-07T08:42:00.000-07:00

All-

Montgomery County United Way is responding to the recent fires in our county and needs our help.

To donate dollars, call 281-292-4155, ext. 235 or toll free 1-888-825-MCUW, ext. 235. Or mail a check made payable to: MCUW, P.O. Box 8965 The Woodlands, 77387. Include 2011 Fire in the memo line.

To donate goods such as clothing, furniture or other household goods, visit www.HelpOurCounty.org. Click on Donate Goods or Volunteer. To donate goods, click on "Gift Match" and follow the instructions to register. To volunteer, enter "Fire 2011 Volunteers" in the keyword search and then follow instructions to register. You will be contacted as soon as opportunities become available.

5 Racing Weight Tips From Chris McCormack

2011-07-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

Updated: Jul 5th 2011 4:41 PM UTC by Matt Fitzgerald
Sixteen men have won the Hawaii Ironman World Championship. None of them has weighed more than Chris “Macca” McCormack did when he won his first title in 2007 at 177 pounds. Macca is living proof that you don’t have to be a natural-born whippet to excel in long-distance triathlons.

But he’s also living proof that a careful and committed approach to weight management is needed to excel in longer races, especially if you are naturally bigger. McCormack’s normal weight—the weight he returns to when he’s not actively seeking his racing weight—is 185 pounds. When he claimed his second Ironman World Championship victory last October, he was just 175 pounds.
Nobody has more experience-based knowledge of how to manage weight for maximum triathlon performance than Macca. Here are his top five tips.

Experiment
McCormack failed to even finish his first attempt at the Hawaii Ironman in 2002, discovering the hard way that his size made it very difficult to handle the oppressive heat. He lost four more times before finally winning in 2007. “It took me some time to find my perfect Kona race weight,” he says.

McCormack learned that losing too much weight weakened him, causing his performance to suffer despite his greater leanness. Realizing he could only get so far by dropping pounds, McCormack began to look at changing how he raced Ironman to make the most of his strength advantage and to minimize the effects of his weight disadvantage.

“I just had to find a way to get as light as I possibly could without losing my strength and then build a racing plan that suited the conditions and my issues in them,” he says.

In the end McCormack learned that a racing weight of 175–177 pounds gave him the ideal balance of leanness and strength, and that being aggressive on the bike and more cautious on the run was the best Kona racing strategy for a big fella.

Let form follow function
Getting lighter is not an end in itself. Getting faster is the goal. There are different ways to get leaner, and not all of them will make you faster. McCormack saw that the best way to get faster through weight loss was to go fast in training.

“I added a lot more speed to my Kona training block last year,” he says. “This really thinned out my core and gave me a tighter build over the hips.”

Dial in your race nutrition
“It’s no secret that the bigger you are, the more difficult dealing with heat and water loss is,” McCormack says. So if you’re a larger athlete, make an extra effort to develop the best race fueling and heat management strategy for you.

McCormack’s formula for success, which took years to develop, includes racing primarily on liquids and gels instead of solid foods, using salt tablets, drinking cola during the marathon, and not forcing in nutrition when his stomach seems unable to tolerate it.

Don’t go overboard
As Macca found out, it’s possible to become too light, losing not only extra pounds but also essential pounds that you need to perform your best. It is also possible to reach the “right” weight the wrong way by under-fueling your body.

“My first few years in Kona I was petrified of the heat and was racing at 171 pounds,” McCormack says. “I would starve myself to get my weight down to the realms I thought were necessary for a bigger guy to deal with the heat.”

Keep your weight-loss goals practical.

Have fun with it
“I really enjoy the game of managing weight and speed and monitoring my body’s feel at different weights,” McCormack says.

No matter your size, improving over the long term in triathlon is like solving a puzzle. You need to figure out what’s holding you back and experiment with various possible solutions. If you embrace this challenge, it can be half the fun!

Learn From A Pro: 10 Cycling Tips From An Olympic Hopeful

2011-07-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

• 1. Time In The Saddle
• 2. Join A Group Ride
• 3. Follow The Roadie Rules
• 4. Ride With Faster People
• 5. Keep Up Your Run Speedwork
• 6. Do Strength Work
• 7. Ride Eeasy During The Winter
• 8. Do Brick Workouts
• 9. Practice Descending And Cornering
• 10. Don't Be Afraid To Back Off

Jillian Petersen is one of the strongest cyclists on the ITU and non-draft short course circuits, often turning in the fastest or nearly the fastest bike split in races such as the Miami International Triathlon, St. Anthony’s Triathlon and the Chicago Triathlon. (In fact, she’s been known to out-bike Sarah Haskins, one of the strongest cyclists in the sport.) But Petersen didn’t start her triathlon career as a great cyclist. A runner and swimmer in high school, Petersen ran cross-country and track at the University of Missouri and only started biking in late 2005.

Rule No. 1: The best way to get fast on the bike is spend time in the saddle.
There are no real shortcuts to becoming a better cyclist—you simply have to get your bum on the saddle. “The longer I spent on the bike, the faster I got,” Petersen said. But don’t think that your cycling strength is going to materialize overnight. “It took me, I want to say, at least two full years to really get a good handle on the strength side of cycling,” Petersen said.

Rule No. 2: Join a group ride
When Petersen first started out in the sport, she did at least one group ride a week, which not only helped her improve her fitness but also helped her improve her bike handling skills. In fact, group rides are one of the only ways that you can improve your bike handling skills, something that can save you upwards of 90 seconds on a technical 40K course, Petersen estimates. “Just getting the experience and being around people and having those quick movements gets you more comfortable,” Petersen said. Group rides also help you get used to riding at speeds that you could never reach by yourself without the help of a draft.

Rule No. 3: When you do join a group ride, follow the rules of the roadies.
Cyclists are known to have a less-than-friendly attitude toward triathletes, which means if you want to seamlessly join a group of roadies, you have to follow their rules. This especially means that you should never show up to a group ride with your tri bike, which is more difficult to handle than a road bike and can be dangerous in large groups.
Once you get the hang of the unspoken rules of the roadies, remember to have fun (most cyclists are actually nice) and ignore the more surly ones. “Every now and then I’d have a breakthrough day and make the front group for an extremely hard finish of the ride and then get yelled at,” Petersen said. “ [They’d say,] ‘This wasn’t hard—that’s why she stayed with us.’ But take it with a grain of salt and brush those guys off.”

Rule No. 4: Ride with people who are faster than you.
Petersen quickly improved her cycling by riding several times a week with a few guys who were speedier than she was. “They would go on these very difficult, hilly, technical rides,” Petersen said, and she would have to ride her best just to stay up with them. These rides would last anywhere from about two to three hours.

Rule No. 5: Keep the speedwork up on your run while you focus on the bike.
Spending more time on the bike inevitably means you’ll have to back off on your run, which can ultimately hurt your run split. Petersen says that focusing your limited running time on speedwork will help you keep your running legs underneath you while you work to improve your cycling. “Speedwork would help, because you’re getting so much endurance from the bike,” Petersen said.

Rule No. 6: Do strength work on your hamstrings
Cyclists can develop big quads and this can create an imbalance with your hamstrings, so Petersen recommends that you focus on doing strength work on your hamstrings to limit this asymmetry. She does many of her hamstring exercises with a physio ball—a large rubber inflatable ball often seen in physical therapy offices.

Rule No. 7: Ride easy in the winter months
During the winter months, don’t go crazy with your riding. “Just go out and ride, and you’re going to be fine,” Petersen said.

Rule No. 8: Don’t be afraid to get in some brick workouts
Petersen will sometimes bring her trainer to the pool deck and do a hard 500M followed by 3 minutes hard on her bike. (She’ll do this three or four times in a row.) Or, she’ll do a bike-to-run workout where she’ll ride eight-to-10 minutes hard and then run a hard 1K off the bike, repeating this three to four times.

Rule No. 9: Practice your descending and cornering skills
“I’ll go on some difficult descents and practice cornering and leaning,” Petersen said. She does this on her own, away from a group.

Rule No. 10: Don’t be afraid to back off once your cycling is where you want it to be.
“I definitely do less riding than I used to,” Petersen said. “I think it’s because I got a couple of good years of a lot more riding.” Currently, she rides about five times a week, with two of the days being hard (one being a tempo workout and one being a VO2-max workout, generally on hills) and one of these days being long (usually about three hours.) The other two days are just easy 1.5-hour rides.

Sprint Triathlons: The Possible Dream

2011-06-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

Michael Levin
Vibrant Life

As I look at the front tire on my racing bike, I discover that my twin 3-year-old sons have removed the bolt and spring that holds the wheel in place. In other words, I've trained for months, packed all my gear into my car, gotten up at 4:45 a.m. so that I could be here by 5:45, and it looks like I'm not going anywhere.
But the real question is: What's a slow, slightly overweight 46-year-old doing entering the Carlsbad (California) Triathlon?

When most people think of triathlons—events that combine swimming, bicycling, and running—they imagine Ironman contests of strength and endurance that originated in Hawaii and now take place all over the world. In an Ironman triathlon you swim 2.4 miles, bicycle 112 miles and then run a full 26.2-mile marathon.
Yet many may not be aware that shorter-distance triathlons take place throughout the year in many parts of the world. The shortest triathlons are called "sprint-distance triathlons" and cover about a quarter of the ground of their much larger cousins. Typically, such events involve an ocean, lake, or river swim of a half mile; a bicycle ride of 15 to 20 miles; followed by a run of three to four miles.
A triathlon actually consists of five events—the swim, T1 (transition from swimwear to bike gear), the bicycle component of the race, T2 (transition from hiking to running), and the run. Books, websites, and magazines are devoted to showing the novice triathlete how to prepare for each of the three athletic portions of the race and for the transitions as well.

The Possible Dream
When I started triathlons, I had just turned 44. My wife and I had gotten married three years earlier and had subsequently produced a honeymoon baby girl and twin boys. As I do now, I owned my own business, a ghostwriting and coaching service. This meant that my time was my own so I could schedule my race training around my family and work responsibilities.

I mention family and work because I want to make a point. It's possible—no matter how busy your life—to train for and compete in triathlons. This is true even if you're starting at a relatively advanced age as I did. You don't have to be Olympics-bound either.

I've got more body fat on me than any 20 other triathletes. I'm also speed-challenged and tend to finish way in the back of the pack. But that's not the point. The simple fact is that I found it possible to train for, enter, and complete triathlons—and a couple marathons along the way—despite the fact that at first glance (and second and third), I don't have the time or body for that type of racing.

Triathlon Training
If you can find an hour a day for exercise, you've got all the time you need to prepare for a triathlon. The simplest schedule, recommended by many triathlon experts, is to alternate your training: Run, bike, swim, run, bike, swim, then rest on the seventh day.

They say that the hardest thing for a triathlete to do is take a day off because with three sports to master, you feel like you should always be out there doing something. But giving your body some downtime is absolutely essential.
Much of competing in a triathlon has to do with conservation of strength. When swimming, you need to know the most efficient ways to pull yourself through the water with your arms so you can save your legs for the hiking and running. On your bike, you need to know how to pull up with your legs instead of pumping down so you can save your running muscles for the run. It's quite exciting to get coached and learn the latest techniques in each of the three sports.

Another important triathlon technique is called "bricking," which means combining one or more activities in a single workout. You hit the pool, get in your laps, then jump on your bike. Or you start off your exercise session hiking, then transition to running; either outdoors—if weather permits—or on the treadmill. Bricking gives your body a chance to get used to the physical transitions you'll make on race day.
The transitions themselves require preparation. First, you've got to have gear—goggles and wet suit (depending on your climate) for the swim; bicycle, bike shoes, helmet and sunglasses for the bike portion of the race; running shoes for the run.

Race Day
The weeks quickly tick by, and the big day approaches. So here I am in Carlsbad, primed for a new triathlon challenge. That's when I notice the missing part of my bicycle. Am I finished before I begin?

The answer is no. A mobile bike repair business, "Wheels on Wheels," has set up shop at the race site. Its owner, Dan, sees my plight, takes pity on me, and loans me the part I'm missing. He doesn't ask for a deposit or my driver's license or anything. He just hands me the part and tells me it would be great if I returned it when I'm done since it costs $30.

My Day is Saved
Dan's thoughtfulness typifies the triathlon community. It's a bunch of people who love the thrill of the race, the challenge of the multi-sport experience, and the camaraderie of likeminded, fit individuals.

It's inspiring for me to be a part of the whole thing. I'm thrilled by the sight of the incredibly fast 20-year-olds who are sprinting into the end of the run course even as I'm getting out of the water. I'm also excited to see individuals in their 60s, 70s, and even 80s lining up for the three-part event.

On Course
The horn sounds. You run down the beach to the ocean, dive into the waves, heart pounding. You round the first buoy, then the second, the third, fourth, and fifth. Suddenly you're headed for the shore. You run up the beach, strip out of your wet suit at the transition area, climb into your hiking gear, and hit the trail. Fifteen miles later, you head back to the transition area, dismount, take a swig of water or sports drink, slip into your running shoes, and start the run. Three miles later you see the sweetest word in the triathlete's vocabulary: FINISH.

Is it too much of a stretch, too corny, to say that life is a triathlon? After all, both are about body, mind and spirit. Neglect one and the others suffer. In life, as in triathlons, the race isn't always to the swiftest. It's to those who pray for balance, who show up prepared, who want to enjoy themselves, and who accept the grace that awaits us if we seek it, typified by Dan the bicycle man's open-handed kindness.

The race is on, whether we know it or not. Success is showing up and making a committed run as we move through life's events and transitions. At the end of the race comes the reward: a voice saying, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

4 Keys to Ironman Execution

2011-06-16T14:12:00.000-07:00

By Rich Strauss

Endurance Nation

Execution, not Fitness
All you've done for 9 months is build a vehicle. Ironman racing is about how you DRIVE that vehicle, it is NOT about the vehicle. The majority of athletes on race day are fitness-focused (look at my T-shirt, look at my abs/veins/etc, look at how fast I can go in the first hour of the bike, etc.)

It's easy to get caught up in the buzz and energy of the day, but creating and sticking to the right plan for you is the only thing that will lead to the best possible day.

The Line
Nothing on race day really matters until you reach The Line on the run. The Line is the point at which continuing becomes very, very difficult. You define success as simply not slowing down at The Line. EVERYTHING before The Line is simply about creating conditions for success for when the Line comes to you. Additional Kool-Aid flavored thoughts we'd like to put in your head regarding this point are:

• A successful race = a good run. There is no such thing as a good bike followed by bad run, period. In our world, if you showed up with solid run fitness, had a "good" bike and a poor run, we will ALWAYS assume you messed up your bike pacing, until proven otherwise.
• If you think you can ride faster than we're telling you, prove it by running well off the bike.
• Ride your "should" bike split versus your "could" bike split. Your Could split is what you tell your friends you could ride on a good day, when you're out together for your Saturday ride. If you say you "could ride a 5:50," your Should split is likely 6:00 and is defined as the bike split that yields a good run (see above bullets).
• In our experience, 80-90 percent of the Ironman field doesn't know how to race. If you find yourself doing the opposite of everyone else, you're doing the right thing. If Jimmy is "king of this random hill" at mile 46 of the bike...don't join him! Lots of people passing you in the first 40 miles? That's good, don't join in. Going backwards through the field on a hill? Great!
• Think you made the mistake of riding too easy? You now have 26 miles to fix that mistake. Make the mistake of riding too hard? That mistake now has 26 miles to express itself, to the tune of X miles at 17-18′ walking pace vs X miles at 8-12′ running pace. Do the math. How great is that bike split going to look as you are walking/shuffling the last 10 miles of the run? The Ironman run course is littered with fit dudes walking and talking about what a great bike split they had. Don't join them.
• Every time you feel yourself about to roll the dice and race, look at where you are. Are you at The Line / Mile 18? If not, please stick to the plan!

The Box
All day long you are going to race inside a box defined by what you can control. Ask yourself "What do I need to do right NOW to create the conditions for success at The Line? Is what I'm doing right now counter to this goal? From what we've seen first hand on the Ironman courses, we believe you should ask yourself "Am I participating in some short-term tactical gratification?" If yes, STOP!!

On the swim, the Box is the space your body occupies in the water: focus on your form and the rest will come. On the bike, the box is probably about one aid station long. On the run, the box begins as 2-3 aid stations long but often diminishes to "from here to the next lampost/manhole cover/mail box."

Regardless:
• Keep the box as big as you can for as long as you can.
• Keep in the box only the things you can control. Let go of the rest.
• Exercise this decision-making process inside your box: Observe the situation, Orient yourself to a possible course of action, Decide on a course of action, Act (OODA Loop).

The One Thing
If you swallowed the Kool-Aid we're serving you here, you will show up at the Line, in your Box, ready to get 'er done and simply not slow down. But we're not done yet. There is still some psychological stuff you need to address. During the course of your race day, expect your body to have a conversation with your mind:
"Look, Mind, you've had me out here slogging away for 132 miles. This is really starting to get old and very painful. You need to give me a good reason to keep going forward. If you don't have one, I'm gonna slow down and you can't stop me!"

Before the race ask yourself "Why am I doing Ironman?" Your goal here is to determine what is the One Thing that put you in this race. To finish in the daylight with a smile on your face? To run a 4:10? To honor your family or a loved one?

Whatever your One Thing is, be absolutely clear and rehearse your mind/body debate beforehand. Be warned: your body can be a helluva good negotiator at mile 18, especially if your mind hasn't prepared its rebuttal arguments beforehand.

What have we not talked about so far? The things you are likely most torqued about: heart rate, pace, speed, watts, how to eat, what to drink, etc. We believe that if you can keep yourself focused on the Four Keys above, the rest of the day is relatively simple and you don't need to worry about these relatively small details. In other words, all the whizbang guidance in the world can't help you if don't have your mind right about the Four Keys above.

But because you're a Type A Triathlete and you want the details, here they are:

• The Swim: Swim only as fast as your ability to maintain form. When you feel your form go, slow down. Counting strokes is an excellent technique for bringing your mind out of the race and into the Box of maintaining your form.
• The Bike: JRA (Just Ride Along) for about 45-60 miles. Then shift from JRA to Easy (5:45+ should split) to Steady (sub 5:45 should split). Gauge how well you're doing by how well you're NOT doing what everyone else is doing.
• The Run: Jog for 4-6 miles, with a jogging, do-no-harm pace and heart rate cap. Jogging is defined as a pace you could sustain for hours if we kept feeding you. After 4-6 miles, shift from jogging to "running," running comfortably, getting what you need, and preparing yourself for the Line, where things become very uncomfortable. At the Line, just suck it up and get 'er done.

That's it, that's as complicated as racing Ironman needs to be and we can't say it any more simply. We've basically given you a Vegas betting strategy, having managed and observed many rolls of the dice through our experience as Ironman coaches leading a team of 400 long course athletes. If you can keep a macro-level focus, the little things will fall into place and you will have a good day. But as you stray towards the Ricky Racer side of the execution scale, you begin to rattle the dice.

May's Club Meeting

2011-05-06T08:06:00.001-07:00

May 16, 2011

Doors will open at 6:00 p.m.

Rico's Grill (Sawdust) in the Banquet Room
314 Sawdust Road
The Woodlands, Texas 77380

Guest Speaker: Pro Triathlete CHRIS LIETO

Finished 2nd at 2009 World Championship

Finished as top American pro in 2010

1st in Galveston winning the US 70.3 Pro Championship

Please RSVP by e-mailing us at lonestarmultisport@att.net

Limited to 80 people

***We kindly ask that food and drink orders be placed by 6:30 to eliminate interruption while Chris is speaking.***

55-minute workout: core work bike intervals by Jené Shaw

2011-04-21T06:09:00.001-07:00

Try this workout when you need a quick but intense session at the gym or at home on your indoor trainer. This core/bike combo comes from Sandy Overly, a Spin and Pilates instructor and USAT-coach in Texas, who says it’s a favorite of her time-crunched triathletes. “The workout is intense and fun,” Overly says. “My athletes have gained strength, flexibility and better stabilization through these workouts allowing them to improve overall in their triathlon training and performance.”
What you’ll need:

1) Bike with trainer or spin bike if at the gym

2) Stability ball

3) 5- to 10-lb dumbbells

4) Medicine ball

The workout:

Start with a 10-minute bike warmup

Do 5 minutes core/10 minutes bike intervals

Do 5 minutes core

End with a 10-minute bike cool down

Total time: 55 minutes

The core exercises: 1 minute each

• alternating single-leg squats with light weight shoulder press

• bicycle crunches

• plank

• seated medicine ball oblique twists

• stability ball hamstring curl on back

The bike intervals: 2 minutes each

• seated spin @ 80-85 RPM (light gear)

• alternating 15 sec standing/seated climbs @ 65-70 RPM (med gear)

• seated spin @ 80-85 RPM

• alternating 15 sec standing/seated climbs @ 65-70 RPM

• seated spin @ 80-85 RPM

Want To Recover Faster From Running? Start Swimming

2011-04-21T06:06:00.000-07:00

A recent study suggests that swimming enhances recovery faster than lying still.

Written by: Matt Fitzgerald

Triathletes do all kinds of things to accelerate muscle recovery after hard runs. They stretch, take ice baths, wear compression socks, get massages, strap on Normatec boots, drink recovery shakes, and so forth. But a recent study suggests that something many triathletes do already for purposes other than recovery may do more than any of these measures to accelerate their recovery: swim.

The study, published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine and conducted by researchers at the University of Western Australia, involved nine well-trained triathletes. The subjects performed an interval run consisting of 8 x 3 minutes @ 85-90 percent VO2 peak velocity on two separate occasions. Ten hours after the run, the triathletes either swam 2,000 meters or lay down for an equal amount of time. Fourteen hours after that, the subjects performed a high-intensity run to fatigue to assess how well their running performance had recovered from the previous day’s interval sessions.

Interestingly, the subjects were able to run for 13 minutes, 50 seconds after swimming for recovery compared to only 12 minutes, 8 seconds after lying still for recovery. That’s a 14 percent difference. The researchers also found that swimming for recovery was associated with much lower levels of c-reactive protein, a biomarker of inflammation, 24 hours after the interval run. This finding suggested that swimming for recovery enhanced performance in a subsequent run by attenuating muscle tissue inflammation resulting from the first run.

Many triathletes routinely schedule swims as their next workout following runs because it feels good to the legs. Now we know that it not only feels good but does good. If you’re not engaging in this practice already, start!

Theme for Ironman Texas aid station

2011-04-08T07:48:00.000-07:00

All,

Your help is needed as we are trying to come up with a theme for the Lonestar Multisport aid station for Ironman Texas! Please submit your ideas to lonestarmultisport@att.net by April 15^th. Need an incentive to help us out? If your idea is chosen, then you will receive a “thank you” gift!

Top 9 Triathlon Training Secrets From Top Coaches

2011-03-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

Written by: Marty Munson

TRAIN YOUR MIND RIGHT

1. Let the water clear. The biggest mistake triathletes make, says Scott Berlinger, founder of Full Throttle Endurance, is “training too hard all the time. We call it muddying the water. And if you keep the water muddy, you won’t perform well.” Respect your rest weeks and, he says, “stay within the confines of your workout.” Yes, even when your archrival passes you in the park. Remember, he may be doing speedwork, you may be doing distance.

2. Focus on the process, not the outcome. “Micro goals help you achieve success,” says Paul Weiss, PhD, founder of Asphalt Green Triathlon Club. So instead of fixating on winning, turn your attention to the process – staying aero, keeping your cadence up, getting your nutrition right and all the other little pieces you need to put together to have a top race. That keeps you in the zone. “Achieving process goals cumulatively results in macro goal achievement.” In other words, do what you need to do and the successes will add up.

RUN BETTER

3. Train what’s behind you. “A strong butt is the key to a happy life when it comes to running.” That’s straight from Jordan D. Metzl, MD, sports medicine physician at NYC’s Hospital for Special Surgery and Triathlete contributor. How so? Strength in the glutes keeps the pelvis from tilting from side to side (among other things) and has the potential to eliminate some classic running injuries including IT band friction syndrome. Work with a coach or physical therapist to determine which strengthening exercises are exactly right for you.

4. Keep your feet under you. Should you run on the forefoot? Midfoot? Barefoot? Among the spectrum of sometimes heated opinions on the issue, nobody’s debating one point: “What’s important is where your foot falls underneath you,” says Rob Maschi, PT, DPT, of NYC’s Hospital for Special Surgery. It should fall directly under your center of mass, not in front of it, or you’re basically braking with every step.

SWIM SMARTER

5. Drop some drills. “You don’t need to do 1,642 swimming drills to become a better swimmer. You can do a few drills that have a very specific purpose and become a better swimmer,” says Earl Walton, head coach for TriLife Coaching, NYC. The one drill everybody needs? Side lying kick drill. “If you’re a bad swimmer, you’re killing your momentum,” he says. “You need to get comfortable in the water and get your body position correct.” This drill is an essential way to do that. It’s not the only drill you need to do, but if it’s not in your repertoire, it’s worth putting there, he says.

DO THE RIGHT THING IN THE GYM

Strength train to become a better triathlete, not a better weight lifter. Photo: John Segesta

6. Don’t strength train to become strong. “When you’re an Olympic weightlifter, the point is to move weight from point A to point B to demonstrate your strength.” To do that, you might need to hold your breath, arch your back, or use momentum. “For any other athlete, your reason for strength training isn’t to demonstrate strength. It’s to gain strength,” says Jonathan Cane, exercise physiologist and head coach at City Coach Multisport. That means doing your weight work with excellent form and letting your muscles, not your ego, get stronger.

7. Keep it simple. Sometimes when you do crazy complicated exercises, “your brain gets better at doing them, not necessarily your muscles,” Cane says. So you’ll be better at doing one-legged tractor tire balances, rather than at swimming, biking, and running. Keep your workout simple and focus on the big muscles as well as the muscles that stabilize you. And don’t stress about whether you should be using free weights, resistance bands, kettlebells or something else. “Your muscles aren’t that smart. They only know if they’re working or not. And if you get the muscle to fire, you’ll get stronger,” he says.

DON’T SKIP THE STRETCH

8. Stretch for speed. Stretching helps you maintain your range of motion, and poor range of motion means poorer power, says Marisa D’Adamo, PT, former physical therapy coordinator for the ING NYC marathon. “Stretching helps you get faster without speedwork. You can’t work on your power or strength when your joint doesn’t have the range of motion it needs.”

AND IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE, DO THIS

9. Determine what’s made of glass. Douglas Schwartz, coach at Multi-Sport Partners, asks his athletes to imagine balls made of three materials: marble, rubber, and glass. They have to label the balls according to what they’re juggling – for instance, friends, family, work – and say why each is labeled that way. You see where this is going: The most precious one is the glass ball. Each athlete needs to figure out what in their life is made of glass and how not to drop it. Glass equals family for you? Schwartz suggests a way to make your training more efficient so you can spend more time with family: On your next road trip, have your significant other drop you off 30 minutes away from home and run the rest of the way.

20-Minute Workouts

2011-03-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

Do you think it’s not even worth changing into workout clothes if you only have 20 minutes to train? Think again.

Written by: Matt Fitzgerald

To most non-athletes, 20 minutes of exercise seems like an eternity. But to endurance athletes in marathon training or triathlon training, a 20-minute workout may seem like it’s hardly worth the bother. After all, if your average workout lasts an hour, what can a 20-minute session possibly do to increase your fitness? Quite a lot, actually—even for the fittest endurance athlete. Consider these four benefits:

1. 20-minute workouts burn a meaningful amount of calories and, thereby, help you reach and maintain your optimal racing weight. For example, a 150-lb. runner burns approximately 280 calories in a moderate-intensity 20-minute run. If you normally miss a scheduled longer run roughly once every 10 days due to lack of time, you could burn an extra 10,000 calories over the course of a year by squeezing in 20-minute runs instead.

2. 20-minute workouts provide extra repetitions of the running stride, swim stroke, or pedal stroke that stimulate improvements in efficiency. A big part of what makes you a better, more efficient swimmer, runner, or cyclist is simply time spent practicing the movement. So, even short workouts count as additional movement practice.

3. 20-minute workouts can increase endurance by adding to total weekly glycogen turnover. An interesting Scottish study found that weekly training volume was a better predictor of marathon performance than the distance of the longest training run. In other words, the study suggested that marathon runners are better off running 50 miles a week with a maximum long run of 16 miles than running 40 miles a week with a maximum long run of 22 miles. The reason is that endurance improves through the repeated depletion of muscle glycogen stores in training. And a heavy week of training will result in more total muscle glycogen depletion, and thus build more endurance, than a lighter week. 20-minute workouts can add a meaningful amount of glycogen-depleting volume to your training week.

4. 20-minute workouts can produce an excellent high-intensity training stimulus. A little swimming, cycling, or running at anaerobic threshold intensity and above goes a long way. Twenty minutes is plenty of time to get all the high-intensity work you need to take your fitness up a notch.

There are basically two ways to incorporate 20-minute workouts into your marathon training, triathlon training, or any other endurance sport training. One is to do a 20-minute workout instead of taking a day off whenever you are too pressed for time to complete a longer workout. The other way is to add one or more 20-minute workouts to your weekly training schedule to increase your overall training volume without creating a significant risk of overtraining. Here are some suggested 20-minute workouts:

The Filler – Simply swim, ride, or run at an easy tempo for 20 minutes. This is a great workout to do when you want to avoid the guilt of doing nothing but you’re not mentally or physically ready for anything challenging.

Tabata Intervals – Swim, ride, or run at an easy tempo for 16 minutes, then complete 8 x 20-second all-out sprints with 10-second passive recoveries between sprints.

Fartlek Intervals – Sprinkle 5 to 10 fast 30-second efforts throughout an otherwise moderate, steady-pace workout.

Threshold Session – Warm up for five minutes at a comfortable tempo, then go for 15 minutes at anaerobic threshold intensity (the fastest pace you could hold for one hour in a race).

Progression Workout – Swim, ride, or run for 15 minutes at a steady, moderate pace, then blast the last five minutes.

Time Trial – Swimming: Warm up, then swim 800 meters (875 yards) as fast as you can. Cool down as long as necessary to make the total workout 20 minutes. Cycling: Warm up, then ride 5 km as fast as you can. Cool down as long as necessary to make the total workout 20 minutes. Running: Warm up, then run 1 mile as fast as you can. Cool down as long as necessary to make the total workout 20 minutes.

Try a TRI Clinic

2011-03-04T05:33:00.000-08:00

Try a TRI Clinic

A clinic designed to introduce youth and junior athletes to the fun and exciting sport of triathlon. As one of the fastest growing sports in America, triathlon offers a great way to stay healthy and fit.

All levels of participants from ages 7 to 19 are welcome. Athletes will learn about the sport of triathlon through instruction, drills, games and work-outs in all 3 sports (swim, bike and run), including the transition from sport to sport.

Clinic will be put on by Coach Sandra Sutherland, Mindy Reich and members of The Woodlands HS Tri team, a triathlon club for 7th-12th graders. Try-outs for the 2011-12 team will take place this spring and will be expanding to include members ages 7 and up! For additional information please contact Mindy at the email/number below.

When: Saturday, March 26, 2011

Where: Y at Shadowbend Location

Time: 10am – 1 pm

Cost: $60

Participants will be expected to successfully swim a 25 yd distance without stopping. Each athlete will be required to wear a swim suit with appropriate work-out clothes over (depending on weather) and bring goggles, towel, bike, bike helmet, running shoes and a water bottle.

For additional information please contact Mindy at mreich2007@comcast.net

or 281-731-6474.

IM Texas Homestay

2011-02-22T06:59:00.001-08:00

Dear LSMS Club Members,

One of the wonderful opportunities we have with hosting IM Texas is to volunteer as homestay hosts for the professional athletes racing this event. I am the Homestay Coordinator for IM Texas and am looking for families who would be willing to host a professional athlete during the IM Texas event. If you are interested in hosting a professional athlete, please email me at irongirl@sbcglobal.net and reference IMTX Homestay in the subject heading. I will then contact you directly requesting additional information from you to help me match athletes to homestay hosts. I already have several athletes that are looking for homestays and your help/assistance is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Kimberly Hager
Strive Performance Coaching
22 Doe Run Drive
The Woodlands TX 77380
www.istrive.net

Sports Science Update: Improve Tomorrow’s Workout Today

2011-02-15T10:57:00.000-08:00

Why enhance recovery when you can reduce the need to recover?

Written by: Matt Fitzgerald

Every runner knows that post-run recovery is important. Your body needs to reverse the dehydration, muscle fuel depletion, muscle tissue disruption, and other effects of exercise stress to get ready to perform well in the next workout.

When runners think about recovery, they usually take the dehydration, muscle fuel depletion, muscle tissue disruption, and other effects of exercise stress as given—as unavoidable. Consequently, they seek to boost their performance in the next workout by doing everything they can to reverse these effects once they’ve already happened (by taking ice baths, drinking protein shakes, etc.). The idea that they could also boost their performance in the next run by minimizing the need for recovery in the first place does not cross their mind. However, this is possible.

Obviously, the easiest way to minimize the need for recovery after a run is to avoid running hard. If you replace a hard 10-mile run with a slow one-mile run, you will recover much faster. But if you do this every day, you won’t get very fit. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about measures you can take to minimize the stress effects of the hard training you’re already doing.

One simple thing you can do to reduce the muscle damage caused by a hard run and thereby bounce back quicker is warm up. Studies have shown that runners exhibit less muscle damage and report less muscle soreness 24 hours after a hard run when it is preceded by a thorough, gentle warm-up. A proper warm-up before hard running appears to increase the elasticity of muscle fibers so that they are less likely to rupture under the stress of intense exercise.

A nutritional measure that has been shown to reduce muscle damage during exercise is consuming carbohydrate and protein together while working out. For example, in a 2006 study, researchers at James Madison found that cyclists suffered significantly less muscle damage during a hard ride when they drank a carbohydrate-protein sports drink than when they drank a carbohydrate sports drink with equal calories. Significantly, the cyclists were also able to perform significantly more leg extensions the day after the hard ride with the carb-protein drink. This finding provides the purest possible indication that the consumption of carbohydrate and protein together during the workout reduced the loss of functional capacity resulting from the workout.

The average runner generally thinks of recovery in terms of the physiological processes of muscle damage repair, muscle refueling, and so forth. But it’s performance that really matters. If you can’t perform as well the next day, then you haven’t recovered, regardless of how much muscle repair and refueling has transpired since you’re last workout. This is why preventing the loss of functional capacity resulting from workouts is so powerful. Instead of enhancing recovery you’re reducing the need for recovery.

We may now be able to add another item to the list of measures that can be used to reduce the need for recovery. Researchers at Massey University in Australia recently studies the effects of graduated compression socks on running performance and post-run muscle function. Twelve runners ran four 10K time trials on a track on separate occasions while wearing three varieties of compression socks (one at a time, naturally) and without compression socks. The researchers found that the compression socks had no effect on their 10K times.

However, the runners did experience a smaller decline in jumping performance after the time trials when they wore the compression socks. This finding suggests that the runners would be able to perform better in their next run and thus get more benefit from that next run. Extrapolating, runners who wore compression socks every day might indeed improve their 10K times more than they would if they trained without compression socks.

In other words, compression socks might not improve your 10K time today, but it just might improve it in six weeks!

http://triathlon.competitor.com/2011/02/training/sports-science-update-improve-tomorrow%E2%80%99s-workout-today_19888

25 Top Heart-Healthy Foods

2011-02-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

25 Top Heart-Healthy Foods

Keeping your heart in good shape requires more than exercising regularly and eating healthful meals. It's about eating the right kind of foods, which nurture the heart and keep it in tip-top shape. Instead of scouring the Web for recipes and meal plans, stick to these 25 best heart-healthy foods and you'll be set.

Heart-Healthy Foods 1-5

One of the best foods you can eat for your heart is oatmeal. Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, fiber and folate, you're sure to get a kick start at breakfast with a steaming bowl of oatmeal. Even an oatmeal raisin cookie or two has benefits. Another food to try is almonds, which offer vitamin E, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. They're great as a yogurt or salad topper. A glass of red wine with dinner is a time-tested tradition and it's been directly linked with improving HDL "good" cholesterol. Brown rice is a diet staple, and it offers valuable nutrients such as magnesium and fiber. It's quick to make and incorporate into dinner or a veggie-based snack. Tuna is another great heart food, chock full of omega-3s and niacin. Make a quick tuna salad or use it as a spread on whole grain crackers.

Heart-Healthy Foods 6-10

As we move down this top-25 list, you'll notice that the kinds of foods good for the heart are varied and even delicious. Blueberries offer beta-carotene, vitamin C, calcium and potassium. Blueberries also make a great cereal topping or salad mix-in. Salmon also offers omega-3s and makes for a fantastic main course for dinner or lunch. Black beans are tasty and offer magnesium, fiber and vitamin B complex. Just mix them into a stew for a hearty addition. While not everyone's favorite, soy milk is also heart healthy, with niacin, folate, magnesium and vitamin B complex offering plenty of incentive to pour it over your cereal. Likewise, ground flaxseed contains fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, making it perfect for a crunchy addition to yogurt, cereal or cookies.

Heart-Healthy Foods 11-15

Tofu is a great choice for the heart because it contains potassium, calcium and niacin. Plus, you can marinate it in just about anything and it'll take on its flavor, making for an excellent red meat substitute. For a nice salad topper or mix-in for pasta or muffins, try walnuts, which contain folate, fiber, and polyunsaturated fats along with omega-3s. You can try asparagus, which contains vitamin B-complex, fiber and beta-carotene, making it the perfect side dish for lunch or dinner. Spinach is another great veggie, with plenty of fiber, calcium and potassium to keep your heart happy. Try adding it to sandwiches and salads instead of lettuce for a healthier punch. You can't beat sweet potatoes for tastiness and heart-healthiness. It contains fiber, beta-carotene and numerous vitamins. Cook one up for a baked potato alternative or slice it up and bake for heart-healthy fries.

Heart-Healthy Foods 16-20

Many fruits are great for heart health as well. For instance, oranges offer beta-carotene, vitamin C and potassium. Papaya is another fruit that's great for the heart, with vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium and potassium. Plus, you can add it to salsa or just eat it as a part of a fruit salad. Cantaloupe is another good choice, with lutein, beta carotene, vitamin C and fiber. You can eat half a cantaloupe for breakfast or even a snack. And there's always carrots, which offer beta carotene and fiber for optimum hearth health. Baby carrots or even shredded carrots tossed in muffin batter can keep this healthy veggie as a diet staple.

Heart-Healthy Foods 21-25

Many vegetables are heart-healthy include broccoli, which contains vitamin C, vitamin E, fiber and potassium, and is easy to incorporate into soups and dips. Bell peppers are delicious and easy to include in sandwiches and wraps once roasted, plus they contain vitamin B complex and fiber. You might also wish to include tomatoes in your diet, which contain lycopene and vitamin C as well as folate and fiber. Eat a fresh tomato pizza or add slices to your sandwiches and salads. Tea is also good for the heart, with flavonoids and catechins. Start your day with a cup of green tea for a mild and delicious drink. And for a special treat, you can indulge in dark chocolate, which contains flavonoids and reservatrol, which are great for the heart and can lower blood pressure.

Parks and Recreation Needs Assessments- Tri Community

2011-02-15T10:48:00.000-08:00

Hi, Mark Tefft and I will be meeting with the Parks & Rec Needs Assessments this coming Thursday, February 17th. We would like to present any improvement ideas you may have for the community. Please e-mail your ideas/ suggestions to lonestarmultisport@att.net.

Thank you,
Jennifer Zambrano

Calling all Ironmen

2011-02-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

Hi, we would like to invite several Ironmen to be on a panel for Q&A at this coming Lonestar Multisport Club Meeting (Monday, February 21st at Rico's - Indian Springs from 6:30 - 8:30). If you have done an Ironman and are interested in sharing your experience and answering questions, please contact us at lonestarmultisport@att.net. Thank you!

Team Strive ALS Spin-a-thon

2011-02-10T05:56:00.000-08:00

Be sure to check out the spin-a-thon for ALS, which is taking place this coming Sunday at Villa Sport from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. Sign up today. $1/minute in 10 minute increments.

http://www.active.com/donate/teamblazeman/blazemanTeamStrive

Swim programs - get plugged in!

2011-01-18T10:19:00.000-08:00

To help you get plugged into a local swim program, the following list has been compiled.

**Magnolia Aquatics:
Coached Workouts Every Saturday @ 6:30am - 7:30am, Sunday @ 1pm-2pm and Wednesday 7:00pm-8:00pm at Magnolia ISD Natatorium (14350 FM 1488, Magnolia, TX 77354)
Private Stroke Technique Lessons on Wednesday and Friday evenings and Saturday mornings.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Magnolia-Aquatics-Club-Masters/143062749049828?v=info
• $80 (10 swim) Punch Card
• $45 (5 swim) Punch Card
• $10 drop in rate

**Woodlands Master Swim Team:
See website for practice schedule. http://www.wmst.net/
WMST Fees
CISD/Northampton Program Payment Options
We encourage all of our members to consider buying a membership pass card. For the swimmer who plans on attending regularly, pass cards are the cheapest option since they allow for unlimited swim practices during the time period of the card. They are automatically renewed just before they expire.

The fees for a Membership Pass Card are:
• $68 Monthly
• $195 Quarterly: 3 month card, breakdown $65/month (Billed in January, April, July, October)
• $372 Semiannually: 6 month card, breakdown $62/month (Billed in January and July)
• $720 Annually : 12 month card, breakdown $60/month (Billed in January)
We offer punch cards for those swimmers who are not sure how often they will get to practice:
SWIM Punch Card fees
• $75 (10 swim) Punch Card
• $140 (20 Swim) Punch Card
Punch cards must be requested for renewal, ideally before they are finished. Allow 2 business days to process punch cards. If you run out of punches, have requested a new card, and would like to swim before the new card is ready, you may pay the Drop In Fee of $8.00 (exact cash or check made out to WMST) to the coach on deck. Please use this option only as a last resort! Visit the Punch Card Request tab ( click here) for renewal details. We offer special rates for the 18-24 age group and to full-time college students of any age.

**True Blue Aquatics:
Looking for a swim coach? Steve Breeding provides personal and group coaching in the Woodlands. With over 30 years as a competitive swimmer and coach Steve will begin with a consultation and then evaluation to thereafter design a program to fit your goals. For more details contact Steve at
832-563-7023.

**OutRival Racing Tri-Specific Swim Sessions:
OutRival Racing Triathlon-Specific Swims, Mondays, Noon-1PM, year-round
Location: Conroe ISD Natatorium (behind Sam's Club on I-45N).
Swim practice is mostly freestyle and includes tips on how to swim in open water.
Swimmers of all abilities welcome! Free for OutRival Racing Team members.
Punch-cards:
• $10 for 1 session
• $35 for 5 session punch-card
• $60 for 10 session punch-card
Contact us at info@outrivalracing.com to register. First session is free!

The 10 Best Protein Sources for Runners

2011-01-10T11:17:00.000-08:00

The 10 Best Protein Sources for Runners
Updated: Dec 13th 2010 2:47 PM EST by Matt Fitzgerald
Protein is important for runners, and some sources are better than others.
Written by: Matt Fitzgerald

Protein is a very important component of a runner’s diet. Your muscles are, after all, made of protein. And the protein you include in your marathon training diet or triathlete diet needs to be adequate to promote fast muscle recovery after workouts and to ensure that your muscles adapt fully in response to your training.

That said, some dietary protein sources are better than others. The best protein sources are those that offer a balanced profile of amino acids (amino acids are the “building blocks” of proteins), the highest concentrations of protein, lots of other essential nutrients, and healthy fat profiles. Here are our top 10 recommended protein sources for runners.

Albacore Tuna
Few foods provide more protein per calorie than albacore tuna. One can of white albacore tuna packed in water provides 41 grams of high-quality protein in just 220 calories. Albacore tuna is also a good source of vitamin B12, a very important vitamin for runners because of its role in cellular energy production.

Almonds
Plant foods do not provide as much protein—or as high-quality protein—as animal foods. But when it comes to plant foods, almonds are a very good protein source. One ounce of dry-roasted, salted almonds contains six grams of protein. Almonds are also an excellent source of vitamin E, fiber, and unsaturated fats.

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
One of the leanest protein sources, a single skinless chicken breast supplies 28 grams of protein with a mere 2.5 grams of fat. Chicken breasts are also easy to prepare in all kinds of tasty ways.

Chocolate-Flavored Skim Milk
Skim chocolate milk is an ideal post-workout recovery food. In addition to providing dairy protein for muscle repair, it offers carbohydrate to restock muscle glycogen and water for rehydration. Studies have shown that athletes perform better in their next workout when they drink chocolate milk following an initial workout than they do after drinking a sports drink.

Eggs
For a number of years, eggs had a bad reputation because of their high cholesterol content. But we now know that the cholesterol in eggs does not increase the cholesterol levels of those who eat them regularly. What’s more, a single egg contains 17 grams of protein, and the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAA) of egg protein is a perfect 1.0. PDCAA is a measure of the amino acid balance in protein sources.

Grass-Fed Beef
Everyone knows that beef is high in protein. But some cuts contain a lot more fat than others. For example, a six-ounce serving of pot roast contains 32 grams of fat, whereas an equal serving of London broil has just eight grams of fat. So be sure to always choose leaner cuts of beef. Also, grass-fed beef is leaner than the usual grain-fed beef. A six-ounce beef loin from a grass-fed cow contains roughly 92 fewer calories than a six-ounce loin from a grain-fed cow.

Low-Fat Yogurt
Yogurt contains two forms of milk protein, whey and casein, both of which have perfect PDCAA scores of 1.0. Milk proteins are also rich in a protein fraction called glycomacropeptide (GMP), which is a powerful hunger killer. Therefore, calorie for calorie, low-fat dairy foods, such as low-fat yogurt, satisfy the appetite longer than most other foods. They are also a great source of calcium.

Roasted Turkey Breast
From a protein perspective, you can’t do much better than to have a turkey sandwich (on whole-grain bread, hold the mayo) for lunch. A three-ounce serving of roasted turkey breast supplies 24 grams of high-quality protein. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, niacin, and selenium.

Soy
Soy is probably the best plant source of protein. Its PDCAA score is a very solid 0.91. And there are so many delicious ways to include soy in your diet, including tofu, edamame, soy milk and soy-based yogurt, soy burgers, and soy protein powdered drink mixes.

Whey Protein Isolate
Whey protein isolate is probably the closest thing to a perfect protein source. Whey protein has the highest biological value (another score like PDCAA that measures protein quality) of any protein and is rich in the hunger-killing protein fraction, GMP. Numerous studies have found that whey protein supplementation accelerates post-workout recovery, enhances muscle performance, and even promotes weight loss by reducing appetite. You can find whey protein isolate in a variety of powdered drink mixes, nutrition bars, protein waters, and other products.

Wild Salmon
In addition to containing 44 grams of protein per six-ounce serving, wild salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to boost brain and heart health and fight inflammation. (Farmed salmon has lower levels of omega-3s.) To get adequate amounts of omega-3 fats in your diet, you should consume fish at least twice a week.

Row Your Way To Triathlon Fitness

2011-01-10T11:10:00.000-08:00

Row Your Way To Triathlon FitnessUpdated: Nov 10th 2010 6:17 PM EST by Training
Discover how incorporating the rowing machine into your workouts can benefit your training.
Written by: Tawnee Prazak

The rowing machine is as versatile as the triathlete. In one rowing workout, major muscle groups for swimming, biking and running are put to work—no transition required. Rowing develops strength, power and aerobic endurance simultaneously. “Rowing is the endurance athlete’s secret weapon that no one wants to talk about,” says longtime triathlon coach and triathlete Robert Beams.

Why Rowing
At first glance, rowing appears to be a swimspecific workout. While this is true to an extent, it’s the bike that gets the biggest boost from rowing. “From a triathlete’s perspective, rowing develops power for cycling better than it does for swimming,” says Will Kirousis, a triathlon and cycling coach. “It’s majority legs; the arms just finish the movement.” Explosive leg power comes into play during the drive phase of rowing. Just look at the triple-digit wattage—arms alone can’t do that.

Still, don’t discount the benefits of rowing for swimming. Rowing builds upper-body and core strength, and the arm pull-through phase mimics the catch phase of a swim stroke. Beams says he’s seen athletes shave seconds off their average 100-metre pace after taking up rowing. “It can’t improve technique but it does build strength,” he says. “It’s also a great tool for increasing range of motion in the shoulders and back.”

Then there’s the cardiovascular fitness component. The full-body constant motion nature of rowing is effective for building aerobic and/or anaerobic endurance. Rowing packs a double punch: It enhances cardio fitness while you strength train.

When to Row
Rowing can break up the monotony of swim-bike-run without taking you too far from the specificity of triathlon. Incorporate it into gym days—row 500 to 1000 metres before or after lifting weights—or do a brick workout that combines rowing with a spin class, running or even a swim.

Rowing is a reasonable substitute when swimming in a pool or open water isn’t possible. Also, rowing is non-weight-bearing, making it useful in rehab situations. “It can keep you healthy and in the game if you’re dealing with an injury,” Beams says.
Just don’t overdo it. “Don’t let rowing replace swim-bike-run, Kirousis says. “Remember, it’s just a cross-training tool. While in season, row after a major event or in a transition period to clear your head. In off-season, use it to build fitness.”

How to Row
Like swimming, rowing is highly technical. Doctor and rowing coach Thomas Mazzone identified the phases of rowing as catch, drive, finish and recovery. In the catch phase, the arms are extended and the legs fully bent. The legs are responsible for initiating force in the drive phase. When the legs reach the point of half extension, the arms follow with a strong pull, bringing the bar into the chest. The legs then extend as you reach the finish, followed by the arms releasing into the recovery. It’s important to maintain good posture throughout the entire movement; don’t slouch or hunch over, especially during the catch. However, it is okay for the back to have some forward-backward movement to enhance power.

A Few Key Considerations
- Don’t set the resistance too high—your power output will drop faster than you might think.
- Set the resistance in the middle and maintain a high velocity and consistent force.
- Don’t hyperextend the knees during the pushback part of the drive, and don’t allow the knees to bow outward.
- There should be no interference between arms and knees. If the bar hits your knees, fiddle with your technique.

Bike Lane News!!!!

2010-11-23T10:12:00.000-08:00

The Quintana Roo Demo truck will be at Bike Lane Friday and Saturday, December 3 - 4. Stop by and take a test ride, look, or just ask some questions on these great bikes (and don't forget to bring an ID, helmet, shoes and pedals for a test ride). You can visit Quintana Roo at www.rooworld.com.

On another note, as some of you may already know, Bike Lane now has Cervelo bikes. They are fortunate to represent this great bike company in the area. They have several models built in the store and you can visit Cervelo at www.cervelo.com.

Bike Lane17937 Interstate 45 S # 101
Shenandoah, TX 77385
(936) 321-0200

Happy Hour this coming Sunday!

2010-11-18T11:05:00.000-08:00

IM Cozumel Happy Hour

(or any Ironman/ triathlon for that matter)
Sunday, Nov. 21st at 4:00 p.m.
BJ’s Restaurant
19075 IH-45 South, #600, at the Portofino Shopping Center

Iron Star Half Ironman This Sunday!!!!

2010-11-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

We're still looking for a few more volunteers to help out with the run course of the Iron Star Half Ironman this coming Sunday, November 7th!

Please click on the link to complete the volunteer registration form: http://www.griffnet.com/ironstar/

Triathlon Off-Season

2010-10-21T12:52:00.000-07:00

A time to look back and plan ahead

Now that the triathlon season is over for us, it's time to reflect on what you achieved this year. Did we meet all our goals? Did you improve that butterfly stroke, like you said you would? Did you improve your 5k off the bike? Were you finally able to stay with the group on long rides? Triathletes should take a few hours and write down all that went right for your year and all that went wrong. Hopefully more went right then wrong! If things didn't go the way you wanted, why didn't they? Was it lack of motivation, mental toughness, or plain old laziness? On the other hand, if things went the way you wanted, what helped you the most? Was it that you had a solid training plan, a reliable training partner, or did you drink more beer then last year? It could be any number of factors.

One of the most overlooked ways to get faster without any pain at all, and I know most people out there like to avoid pain, is to become more efficient. Learn a more efficient swim technique. Spend one day a week doing drills instead of hammering out lap after lap again. Learn to spin at a higher cadence on your bike. This will improve your cycling efficiency. Run with better form; don't cross your arms over the imaginary center line of your body. Have someone watch you and critique your form in all three sports. Lift weights: There is no better way to lose fat, increase strength, and look better. Find a program that has different phases. Start with a light weight and increase the repetitions until you are up to thirty. Try to do three sets of this.

Find a training partner: Start working out with someone who is slightly faster then you. This will give you more incentive to get faster. I'm not talking Lance Armstrong here, just someone that makes you go a little faster on your hard days.

Train more if time allows: If you get an extra swim workout in each week, or squeeze in an extra run, it'll help you build a bigger base. A bigger base means you can go faster. If you don't think that one extra half hour a week can help think of it this way: If you can swim 1,000 yards in a half hour, run 3 miles, or bike 8 miles; that could be an extra fifty-two thousands yards a year, or 150 miles running or 400 plus miles biking. Still think that getting in the extra half hour a week isn't worth it? On top of that you are burning another seventy eight hundred calories.

Try a new course: Don't keep riding and running the same course over and over. Run something harder, run something easier. Change it up so you create new challenges for your body. Your body only gets stronger (i.e. faster) when you create a new variation. If you run the same five mile loop, three times a week, guess what? You are not going to get faster.

Mix up the training: Too much snow on the roads to run or mountain bike? Take a cross-country ski class. Learn to snowshoe, cross-country ski, or ice-skating. There are many different things you can try. Take your kids sledding or better yet, take your friends sledding. You'll be surprised at how much fun you have!

By changing the program, challenging yourself to new things and opening your mind to new and fun training obstacles you will start the year fitter and faster then ever before.

Triathlon Training Articles- Off Season

2010-10-21T12:45:00.000-07:00

Off-Season Training by Luis Vargas

Every year when I read the Hawaii Ironman stories I get that end of the season feeling. The leaves are falling off the trees and for many of us snow is in the forecast. Many of us reflect on our performances this year and start preparing for next season. I find that most triathletes tend to respond to the off-season in one of two ways. Some take too much time off and get totally out of shape and others keep training hard and are seen running intervals at the track.

I do recommend a bit of a break this time of the year. I also recommend enough training concentrating on aspects often forgotten during the racing season.

Take a physical and mental break

Once you finished your last race of the season it is time to take a break. It is important to let your body recover but perhaps more importantly, let your mind rest from all the training and racing stress. Play a team sport, go hiking with your loved ones or go on a skiing trip. You can still do some running, swimming or biking. Just keep it fun and unstructured. New activities will invigorate you. Not to mention that your non-triathlete friends and loved ones would be glad to see you.

Concentrate on technique

Once you get started with triathlon specific training keep it easy to moderate and work on your technique. The best time of the year to work on technique is the off-season. During the racing season many athletes are so worried about split times and distance that they forget about technique. Get your swim coach to film your stroke. Concentrate on pedaling circles while on the bike. If your bike is uncomfortable this is the best time of the year to get a new bike or get a professional bike fit on your old bike. Your body will have the time to adjust to any bike changes. For the run I recommend working on some running drills to improve turnover and minimize the time your foot is on the ground. Most top runners can maintain 90 steps per minute or better. Count the steps on one leg only or double to 180 and count both legs over a minute.

If you are not sure, try this test. First make sure you have a good idea of your aerobic pace at your maximum aerobic heart rate. Now go out and do between 15-20 minutes of fast running either in the form of interval work (such as 3 x 1000 on the track or 1 x 5 minutes, 2 x 3 minutes, 3 x 1 minute fartlek). Now monitor your body for the next few days. If your aerobic pace gets quicker from this workout, you will probably benefit from doing speedwork. If you get slower or get sick, your body is not in the shape to handle speed work at this time and you may benefit from doing a couple more weeks of base work.

Don't be a (January) National Champion

I am not sure where I heard this quote but I like it. Every time someone tells me about a great set of repeats or some crazy ride done at an incredible pace during the off-season I use the quote. The likelihood that this athlete can maintain this sort of effort throughout the entire year is not very good. Training takes effort, it causes pain and it wears on you. Save that energy for when it counts later in the season. Being fit in January does not mean that you will be that much fitter by summer. The more likely scenario is low performance during the summer due to over training and getting mentally drained from all the high intensity.

Train your weaknesses

I like this motto in general but I want to make sure that training weaknesses does not turn into doing mega-mileage during the off-season. If swimming is your weak sport concentrate on technique improvements rather than swimming 5000 yards five times a week. Most swimming improvements come from technique. If you swim 25,000 yards a week and have bad technique you will be cementing bad technique into your muscle memory and make it that much harder to fix. You will become a very fit slow swimmer. On the other hand if running is your weak sport I do not recommend training for a marathon to become a better runner. Work on your running technique with running drills as I mentioned above. If you have to schedule a running race I suggest distances up to a half marathon. A full marathon for inexperienced runners is generally a very difficult event. It can take up to a month to fully recover and it drains your energy needed for triathlon racing season. But coach I signed up for Ironman Canada and I want to make sure I can run a marathon! Here is my take on that. For most triathletes an Ironman is an exercise in energy management. The great majority of athletes walk during the marathon to insure fluid and food intake.

The Ironman marathon is more like a training run. A solo marathon on the other hand is more an exercise in pain management, the pace is high, runners barely break stride to get that half-cup of water. Most runners do not walk unless they hit the wall. It is a very different event. Running a marathon in the winter only proves that you can run a marathon and you can handle a three- to five-hour effort. I have seen many top marathoners struggle during an Ironman.

Performance at one does not translate to the other. Scheduling a few long training runs of 20+ miles during Ironman training should mentally prepare an athlete that has any doubts of their capability to complete a marathon. I suggest you save your energy during the off-season and train properly for the Ironman.

Finally, if the bike is your weak sport it is usually because of lack of experience on the bike or a bad fit on your bike. Get the good bike fit at your local bike shop, get on your trainer, or go outside if the weather permits. Get a consistent dosage of aerobic riding during the off-season. I find that getting on a trainer is not the most fun activity over the off-season, especially for runners and swimmers. Make that commitment and you will be glad you did when triathlon season comes around.

Strength training

As triathletes we like to think of ourselves as very fit individuals. We run, we bike, we swim, we do it all. Yet we find ourselves getting sore if we go play tennis or from doing yard work. This is even more so as we get older. Strength training will help us strengthen those muscles that we generally do not use in triathlon. I recommend strength training year round. However, I know that many athletes cannot seem to find the time to do all three disciplines and also hit the weight room. The off-season is a great time to get back on some strengthening program. It will improve your power, and help with injury prevention. Ask your coach to design an off-season strengthening program for you.

Plan your racing season

Start planning your racing season now. You may have to sign up soon as many top races are filling up way in advance. I like having a nice progression to a racing season. Schedule some shorter races early in the season and finish with a big effort on a longer race. Other scenarios are possible. Just be sure to give yourself enough time between races of different distances to do some proper training. This will improve your chances of performing your best at various races and distances. I recommend you work backwards from your big goal races and schedule some shorter races that you can use as stepping-stones on the way. You can start specific training for the intermediate races earlier in the season. These races will also keep you focused and provide a base from which to build on.

Enjoy the off-season. I am going skiing.

© 2007

Fun in the snow.

Racing Weight: The Pros And Cons Of Workout Fasting

2010-09-28T11:09:00.001-07:00

Racing Weight: The Pros And Cons Of Workout Fasting
Updated: Sep 21st 2010 10:25 AM EDT by Matt Fitzgerald

Think twice before you “starve” yourself during and after workouts.
Written by: Matt Fitzgerald
Several years ago I used to run on occasion with a female friend who twice qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon. One day when I met her at her house for a run I brought over a canister of a sports drink that I was then getting for free and wanted her to try. When she mixed up a bottle in the kitchen I noticed that she used only half the recommended amount of powder. Bemused, I asked why.
“It’s 120 calories per serving,” she said. “I don’t want all that.”
I was surprised. My philosophy on the use of ergogenic aids during workouts had always been to take in as many calories as I needed to maximize my performance. The idea that the calories I consumed during runs or rides might hinder my efforts to get leaner for racing never crossed my mind. But after witnessing my friend’s “workout fasting” I began asking around and learned that many endurance athletes intentionally restrict their calories during training to promote fat loss.
Is there any validity to the fear that taking in sports drinks, gels, and so forth in workouts makes it more difficult to shed excess body fat? Should you, at least in some circumstances, intentionally take in fewer calories than would be required to optimize your workout performance? Let’s look at the science.
Athletes who fast or are tempted to fast during workouts operate on the belief that the calories in ergogenic aides simply supplement the calories eaten during the rest of the day and thereby increase the day’s total calorie intake. But this is not the case. Studies have shown that when athletes consume carbohydrate during exercise, they eat less during the rest of the day. So by using a sports drink or whatever during workouts you get the advantage of better performance without the disadvantage of increased total daily calorie intake.
The other fear that lies behind the choice to restrict carbohydrate intake during workouts is the fear that doing so reduces the amount of fat burned during the workout. This is true. Your body will burn more carbs and less fat in workouts during which you consume carbs than during workouts in which you fast. But this does not mean that using a sports drink during workouts will make it harder for you to shed excess body fat. With respect to losing body fat, what matters is not the type of calories you burn during workouts but how many calories you burn, and you will usually burn more calories in carb-fueled workouts because you will be able to work harder in those workouts.
The reason it doesn’t matter whether you burn primarily fat or carbs during workouts is this: During the hours that follow a workout in which you burn mostly carbs, your body will burn a lot fat as it spares carbs for use in replenishing your depleted muscle glycogen stores. And during the hours that follow a workout in which you burn mostly fat, your body will burn a lot of carbs as it spares fats for use in replenishing your depleted intramuscular triglyceride stores. Research has consistently shown that the most effective workouts for fat loss are high-intensity interval workouts that burn mostly carbs. Why? Because the body burns a ton of fat after such workouts. So don’t worry about the fact that your body will burn less fat during carb-fueled workouts. You’ll come out ahead in the long run.
So does all of this mean you should never intentionally restrict carbohydrate intake during workouts that are long enough for carb consumption to make a difference (roughly one hour and up)? No. There are benefits associated with occasional workout fasting, but they have nothing to do with getting leaner. It so happens that some of the positive physiological adaptations to training are triggered by depletion of the body’s internal carbohydrate stores. When you consume carbs during a workout, your body’s carb stores become less depleted and there’s less stimulus for positive adaptations. In addition, it has been shown that performing longer workouts without taking in carbs increases the body’s fat-burning capacity during exercise, which aids performance in long-distance races.
It’s not necessary to withhold carbs in every long workout to maximize fitness gains and fat-burning capacity, but it’s a good idea to do it occasionally.

Tips For Surviving Race Week

2010-09-28T11:08:00.001-07:00

Tips For Surviving Race Week
Published: Sep 9th 2010 4:08 PM EDT by Training
Use these five simple strategies to make your TriRock race-week experience less nerve-racking.
Written by: Mario Fraioli
There’s only a few days to go until TriRock San Diego and the finger you’re currently using to control your computer mouse might as well be on a panic button right now.
The questions you thought were answered weeks ago are inevitably beginning to arise again at the worst possible time. Did I train hard enough? Should I have done one more brick workout? What will I drink on race day? Should I put speed laces on my running shoes? And so forth. No matter how many laps you’ve swam or how many times you’ve rehearsed the race in your head, uncertainties always seem to find a way to arise during race week.
It’s all part of the game, as they say. Nerves are normal, especially as race day gets closer and the doubts start slipping through the cracks. The key to surviving race week, and the race itself, however, is as simple as trusting your training. No one workout between now and Sunday is going to make you any more fit than you are today. If anything, overdoing it is more of a concern than underdoing it this week. Now is the time to rest your body, and your mind. The real work is done.
And while you think ahead to race day this week, think back on the weeks of preparation that got you to this point. Also, think about the progression you’ve made as a runner during this period. In the two, four, six or more months since you first decided to take your show to San Diego, you’ve covered hundreds of miles, dialed in on your projected pace with laser-like precision, mastered your nutrition and have broken in your race day outfit so well that it feels like a second skin. There’s literally nothing left to do at this point except run the race.

Of course, you still need to get through the next few nerve-racking days, so use these five simple strategies to make sure you get to the starting line feeling relaxed, confident and ready to run your best on race day.
1.) Relax. Nerves will get you nowhere. Rather than worrying the week away and questioning your training, try to take your mind off the race and keep your it occupied with a book, mindless movie or some other non-running related activity. Take a walk, meditate or whatever it is you need to do to offset any penned up pre-race energy anxiety.
2.) Drink water. Chugging a gallon of water on race morning isn’t going to help matters much if you haven’t been drinking in the days prior to the event. Keep a water bottle within arms reach at all times in the days before the race and sip from it several times an hour. It can take several days or even up to a week or more to hydrate properly. Make sure to fill your tank well ahead of time.
3.) Wake up early. If you’re not an early bird already, learn to be before experiencing a rude awakening on race morning. Since you’ll be starting at 7 am and positioned in your corral much earlier than that, you’ll want to know what it’s like to be out of bed well before the break of dawn. The last thing you want to do on race day is be rushing around with only seconds to spare, so give yourself plenty of time to wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast and get to the start line.
4.) Make a list, check it twice. You wouldn’t leave home without your favorite credit card, you shouldn’t leave home without your wet suit, rear wheel, water bottles, running shoes, gels and hydration belt. Make a list of race-day essentials and keep these items on or close to you at all times. If traveling from out of town, pack the important stuff in your carry-on luggage. You’ll be fine if you lose your favorite slippers or misplace your shaving kit, but you’re nothing without your racing kit.
5.) Enjoy the expo, but not too much. The TriRock Expo will be quite the experience. There’s so much to see, lots of food to sample and scores of interesting people to meet, but spending too much time on your feet the day before your biggest race of the year isn’t the soundest strategy for success. If possible, get into town early, enjoy the expo experience for all that it has to offer and then get out of dodge. Grab your race packet, scope out the scene for a bit and then get off your feet and relax for the rest of the day.
And in the end, remember that surviving race week comes down to trusting your training. The race itself is just a reward for all the hard work you’ve put in since you decided to sign up for this event many months ago. Don’t let those deceiving doubts take away from the enjoyment of the experience. Develop a pre-race plan, execute it to the best of your ability and have the confidence that you’re ready to swim, bike, run and rock on race day!

Benefits of Stretching by Sandra Sutherland

2010-08-24T04:52:00.000-07:00

Benefits of Stretching

Most aerobic and strength training exercises cause your muscles to contract and flex. That is why regular stretching should be a part of any exercise program. Whether your home or traveling!
Stretching increases flexibility. Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. Tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your shoes become effortless.

Stretching improves range of motion of your joints. Good range of motion keeps you in better balance, which will help keep you mobile and less prone to falls — and the related injuries — especially as you age. Blood flow is less to bones, so get it moving!

Stretching improves circulation. Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. Improved circulation can speed recovery after muscle injuries. That is why we M-I-C-E.

Stretching can relieve stress. Stretching relaxes the tense muscles that often accompany stress.

Ready, Set, Stretch!
Target major muscle groups. When you're stretching, focus on your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders. Also stretch muscles and joints that you routinely use at work or play.

Warm up first. You may hurt yourself if you stretch cold muscles. Warm up by walking while gently pumping your arms, or do a favorite exercise at low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Better yet, stretch after you exercise — when your muscles are warm and more receptive to stretching.

Pace yourself. It takes time to lengthen tissues safely. Hold each stretch for about 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side. Do each stretch three or four times.

Don't bounce. Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears in the muscle. These tears leave scar tissue as the muscle heals, which tightens the muscle even further — making you less flexible and more prone to pain.

Focus on a pain-free stretch. Expect to feel tension while you're stretching. If it hurts, you've gone too far. Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch.

Relax and breathe freely. Don't hold your breath while you're stretching.
Stretch whenever you exercise. If you don't exercise regularly, you might want to stretch at least three times a week to maintain flexibility…EASY, PAIN FREE so you can live pain free!

Know when to exercise caution
You can stretch anytime, anywhere — in your home, at work or when you're traveling. If you have a chronic condition or an injury, however, you may need to alter your approach to stretching. For example, if you have a strained muscle, stretching it like usual may cause further harm. Discuss with your doctor or physical therapist the best way to stretch.

Non Impact Stretching
Get in the water! Drop into the pool, deep end of course and let the easy jog begin! Grab a noodle, kick and reach, side to side, extensions, leg lowers and circles. These can be easy or with resistance for added strength.

TXTRI.COM SANDRA SUTHERLAND txtri@att.net

So you want to be an Ironman?

2010-08-24T04:50:00.000-07:00

So you want to be an Ironman?
With Ironman events around the world gaining more publicity and popularity the number of Ironman wannabe’s is growing at a phenomenal rate. Television shows the glory of the winners and the joy of everyone else on just getting to the finish line. What is not shown are the sacrifices that are made in the days, months and years leading into the event.

If you think you want to take up the challenge of the Ironman here are some things to think about

Have you done a triathlon? If you haven’t I wouldn’t suggest making Ironman your first event. The journey to Ironman is going to take different amounts of time based on your athletic background but in general I recommend a three to four year plan. Year 1, just get into the sport, do some sprint and Olympic distance triathlons. Year 2-3, step up to a couple of half ironman events. Year 3-4 and you will likely be ready to complete and enjoy your first ironman.

Go and watch an ironman live. This will give you an appreciation of what athletes really go through on the day. The winners will come streaming in under 9hrs but watch out for those that are battling through into the darkness. This is the heart of ironman racing and you will see some determined athletes pushing through some incredible discomfort. You will need this determination, drive and passion for the sport.

Talk to Ironman athletes. Have a chat to ironman finishers and ask them not just about the race but what they had to do in the build up.

How much will you need to train? This is the million dollar question to which everyone wants to know the answer – again it is really going to depend on your athletic background. As a minimum you will need to devote around six months to training and not much else (this is providing you are following my 3 year suggested plan). For full time workers you will need to be looking at around 13-18 hrs training per week. You will have to dedicate at least one of your weekend days to doing a very long session (5-7hrs). If you want to be competitive in your age group you need to make more sacrifices and increase the training volume.

Have a good hard think about why you want to do ironman. Do not underestimate how much of a challenge it is to complete an Ironman. You really have to knuckle down and do the required training. Unlike some events when it comes to Ironman you can’t ‘fake it’ or rely on natural talent. The race day itself is really the icing on the cake. The biggest challenge is finding enough time in your life to fit in adequate training.

Will you have the backing of those around you? Unless you are single you need those around you to fully understand the challenge you are getting yourself into (if you want the relationship to continue). It is likely that you will become obsessed with training and will likely become quite selfish, constantly tired, moody…….. Sit down with your partner/family and negotiate how you are going to work out a schedule that is going to be acceptable to both of you.

Do not set yourself any time goals. The first time you do Ironman you should simply focus on getting to the finish line. Sure you will have a time you think you can do but try not to think about it. Just aim to have a steady day and get to the finish line. Whatever time you do it will be a personal best.
Equipment. Last but not least it’s very easy to get carried away with equipment and it can quickly become a very expensive sport.
Swim

- Wetsuit; get a triathlon specific wetsuit that doesn’t let water in. DO NOT use a surfing wetsuit – they will make swimming harder rather than easier

Bike

- Avoid the temptation to get carried away with a top of the range bike. It’s not necessary.

- Get a professional bike set up. Key points are seat height, cleat position, handle bar position. For ironman it’s more important to go for comfort over aerodynamics.

Run

- Have someone check your running technique. If you have had any injury issues in the past see a podiatrist to ensure you are in the right sort of shoes and are well supported

- Shoes are the one area you should not look to cut corners and save money. Get the shoes that are right for you and replace them when require

Ironman is a truly unique event. When you come down the finish line the satisfaction you will feel is something that cannot be brought. Don’t listen to those that may doubt you. Anyone can do Ironman if they want it badly enough.

Good luck

Reminder -

2010-08-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

Please don't forget about the school supplies drive we are having at the club meeting this evening!!! Bring a donation and you'll receive a raffle ticket. See you tonight!

Gatormania 3000 Open Water Swim in Boerne TX

2010-08-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

Gatormania 3000 Open Water Swim in Boerne TX.
Saturday August 28th. Distances are 400, 800, 1500 and 3000.
Keep in mind this is a NON WETSUIT individual event. For more info/
questions/flyer contact Ana Lemus at 936-697-1818 or analemus@me.com

Volunteers Needed!!!!

2010-07-22T14:29:00.000-07:00

14th Annual Kiwanis Kids presented by the South County YMCA!!!

JULY 31ST
@ Branch Crossing YMCA from 5:00a.m. - 10:30a.m.
Volunteers are needed to help set up and run the transition area!!!

For those who are interested, there will be a group ride for LSMS members immediately after the kids triathlon.

Please contact Jennifer if you would like to volunteer!!!!
jendanyell@yahoo.com

Hot Topics in Sports Endurance by Chase Banks

2010-07-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hot Topics in Sports Endurance

Endurance (also called sufferance) is the ability for one to exert his or herself for a long period of time.
-Training for endurance can have a negative impact on the ability to exert strength unless an individual also undertakes resistance training to counteract this effect…Hickson, R.C. (1980). "Interference of strength development by simultaneously training for strength and endurance". European Journal of Applied Physiology.

1. Anaerobic VS Aerobic activity
-Vasodilatory effects
*red blood cell priming and oxygen saturation
*erythropoietin (EPO)
-burst and recovery

2. Carbohydrate metabolism
-statistics…year 2025…year 2050
-Insulin and respectability
-Glycemic index and load (65 & 65)
-When and how to load?

3. Protein metabolism
-myths and theories
-Gluconeogenisis & Pentose phosphate pathway (glutathione?)
-how much is too much?

4. Supplements

-L-Glutathione {Reduced glutathione helps prevent the oxidation of the iron in hemoglobin from Fe(II) to Fe(III). Hemoglobin containing Fe(III) is not effective in binding O2}
*up to 250mg 2x/day

-SOD {superoxide dismutase} Simply stated, SOD outcompetes damaging reactions of superoxide, thus protecting the cell from superoxide toxicity.
*up to 235mg 3x/day

-Acetyl-L-Carnitine
*up to 1,000mg 3x/day

-BCAA’s
*combined up to 5g 3x/day

-L-Glutamine
*up to 10g 3x/day

-Co-Q10
*up to 1,200mg per day

Banks Sports Chiropractic
cc: Chase Banks, DC
118 Shenandoah Dr.
The Woodlands, TX 77381
(832) 444-5527
www.finish1.net

10 Essential Techniques for Unleashing a Race-Day Best

2010-07-21T10:47:00.001-07:00

10 Essential Techniques for Unleashing a Race-Day Best
from Active.com FITNESS
http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/8_Tips_for_Exercising_in_Summer_Heat.htm?cmp=306&memberid=84065519&lyrisid=20792277
By T.J. Murphy
for Triathlete magazine
If you've trained hard to prepare for a race, there comes a point when there's no benefit to continued hard training. It takes weeks to turn hard work into increased muscle and power, and overdoing it during race week can cook your goose.
However, there are a few do's and don'ts that may give you the extra edge needed to let it all hang out on race day, with nothing left over and no haunting regrets.
The following techniques are culled from the habits of the greats. The amount of value each has for you depends on your personality, and each will need tweaking to conform to your particular needs. But once tweaked, following these measures will help you avoid the usual pitfalls and happily pop the cork on race day.
1. Fully Prepare
One thing about a triathlon: If you don't come prepared, there's no chance you're going to luck your way through it. The true road to the best psychological preparation for an endurance event is to have thoroughly and relentlessly prepared. By suffering in your training, you'll be better able to handle race day. Here's a mantra for you: Work so hard in your training that racing feels like a breeze.
The corollary, of course, is this: train too little or too easy, and race day becomes an inescapable drag. Go prepared. Other natural by-products of having completed a rigorous training program include confidence and an excitement for the race born from anticipation. Coming unprepared breeds dread.
2. Arrive Rested
One challenge that consistently hard-working triathletes often face—particularly those falling under the banner of a "Type A" personality—is of knowing when to gear down the training.
If it's a minor race you have before you, a stepping-stone in other words, then training through it is appropriate. You'll still need a measure of taper before the event and recovery days after it (the exact number depending mostly on the length of the race), but you probably won't want to execute a three- or four-week taper.
This is an area best worked out with a good coach. If you're self-coached, or don't listen to your coach, then consider this: whether it's a full taper or an abbreviated taper, if you're a hard-training triathlete, don't let inner demons drive you into training like a madman all the way to race day.
It's not like a final world history exam where last-minute cramming can score you extra points. In triathlon, last-minute cramming will leave you weak and empty on race day. And then, after a horrible day, the typical cycle is to reproach yourself for not having trained hard enough, and then do it all again. Only worse.
Bottom line? Trust your training and trust the need for a good taper, especially for the race that has the big star on your calendar.
3. Set Goals That Are Challenging but Not Out of Reach
This is another necessity in coaxing out a best effort on race day, and another area where having a coach is very helpful. A good coach will be able to look at your training and choose a race goal that's doable; a goal that can be broken down into digestible splits, and that the athlete can mark during the race.
Keep the carrot in view during the swim, the bike and the run, and rest assured you'll have an extra edge of energy throughout the day, an invaluable bulwark against the bleak moments of suffering. If the goal is set too high, and you realize there's no way in hell you'll ever come close to it, then the reverse happens. You may suffer an energy drain and a hailstorm of thoughts trying to get you to drop out.
4. Know the Course and Break it Into Small Bites
If you want your best race, know the course. Study the course maps, the layout of the transition area, and if at all possible, ride or drive the bike course and run course at least once.
Know the direction and geometry of the swim course. Being unfamiliar with the map adds the stress of uncertainly to your day (not to mention the possibility of going off course). Knowing the course gives you confidence in sensing how hard to hit the gas pedal. After studying it, break it into small segments.
During the race, concentrate only on the segment you're in (for example the first loop of the swim, or the first 15 miles of the bike). This technique comes in especially handy during long triathlons that can overwhelm if thought about as a whole, and increases your ability to focus and stay in the moment.
Rather (using an Ironman as an example) than think of the bike leg as 112 miles, break it up into four 25-mile chunks with a final 12-mile chunk at the end. When you're riding the first 25 miles, contain your thinking to riding those 25 miles with efficiency and smarts, staying on pace and carrying out your nutrition plan. Forget about the rest until you get to it. Nail that segment. When you do finish the segment, take up the next 25 miles and repeat.
5. Attend Check-ins Early
Longer events tend to have more complex equipment check-ins, and usually these check-ins are marked by a window of time (e.g., a bike check-in that's open from noon to 3 p.m.).
Don't arrive at 2:45 p.m. assuming you're not going to be standing in an epic line. Usually, if you get there early, you'll have the check-in volunteers to yourself and a minimal wait, and you won't suffer the costs of standing in the sun a half-hour longer than needed.
6. Take a Helper Who Gets it
Anyone who has spent time in the ultra-running world knows that, in contrast to the "Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" image, ultra-running has a team flavor to it. Ultra-runners commonly trade off with partners in guiding one another through their 50- and 100-milers. This mostly applies to pacing on the course, something triathletes are forbidden to do. But they can still guide one another in different ways.
The nice thing about a domestique that (in your case) is a triathlete is how they'll empathize with the pre-race stress and will do what they can to make your life easier in the day or days before the race. They'll shield you from any and all annoyances and unnecessary stress.
Ideally they'll take over some of the pre-race tasks that don't have to be performed by you, lug stuff around, find appropriate restaurants or groceries and have a cold beer waiting for you at the finish line. And as ultra-runners know, the best compensation is to return the favor at the next race.
7. Use a Precise Pre-Race Checklist
Gold medalist and track world record holder Michael Johnson (now retired) was well known during his career for his ferocious attention to a checklist governing the smallest details.
The day before a track meet, Johnson would already have his race uniform and spikes organized and laid out, including items like a pre-race and post-race snack and his CD-player armed and ready. By having everything prepared in a systematic way, he saved himself from the mind's capacity to gnaw away at energy stores with that feeling that something's been forgotten, or an even darker experience, not being able to find something with the clock ticking.
8. Pre-Race Jitters Are Your Friends
The Yerkes-Dodson law predicts an inverted U-shaped function between "arousal" and performance. The absence of nerves before showtime is a drawback; too many butterflies can have a negative effect on performance.
The right dosage of nerves depends on the athlete in question, and on the type of event. The trick is to ritualize your pre-race day (and pre-race week) routine with a schedule and activities conducive to your internals.
Obsessing about the race in the hours before you go to sleep and blasting AC/DC in the morning will do wonders for some and destroy others, who (in this instance) might prefer taking their minds off the race by renting When Harry Met Sally and starting the morning off with some Enya. It depends on who you are. Coffee is part of this conversation as well.
9. Easy on the Coffee
Coffee provides a nice kick to your race motivation pants, but that second or third cup (depending on you, of course, and also the amount of coffee you ordinarily drink) could toss you into the deep end of arousal. Arousal, as in blind panic. Not to mention the dehydrating and time-consuming effects of having to urinate every seven minutes. Nothing like the porta-potty line to set a fire under blind panic.
A little bit of coffee can do you good. A lot of coffee can freak you out. Coffee strong enough to float a horseshoe should be sipped with caution. Daily coffee addicts might want to check the journal page of Peter Reid's website (www.peterreid.com), where he talks candidly about his technique of going on the wagon for a specific number of days and then lighting up the coffeemaker on race day for some extra special zip. Just keep in mind, it's all about setting the arousal dial to your own personal magic number. For some, taking it to the Spinal Tap "11" is going way too far.
10. Master a Relaxation Technique
Call it relaxation, deep breathing, meditation or autogenics. Taking 10 minutes during race morning to lie on the floor and practice slow, deep breathing, with hands placed on your stomach and quieting your mind is a basic approach to centering yourself.
Triathletes who take yoga classes will know the calming value of this practice, a calmness that sets the stage for focus and lessens energy loss. Countless relaxation tapes are available (use the search tool on Amazon.com for a humongous list of choices).

8 Tips for Exercising in Summer Heat

2010-07-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

8 Tips for Exercising in Summer Heat

from Active.com FITNESS
http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/8_Tips_for_Exercising_in_Summer_Heat.htm?cmp=306&memberid=84065519&lyrisid=20792277

• By Joe Decker
For Active.com

Summer is the perfect time to go outside and have fun. It's one of my favorite times of year because there are so many outdoor activities to choose from. Everything is more fun outside, whether you're swimming, running or cycling.

But the summer heat can be a problem if you're not careful, particularly in areas with extreme heat and humidity.

After experiencing the Badwater Ultramarathon (a 135-mile run through Death Valley) and the Marathon des Sables (a six-day, 152-mile endurance race through the Sahara Desert), I've learned a few things about exercising in the heat.

For me, the biggest problems were staying hydrated and maintaining my body's electrolytes and salt. When you sweat, your body loses not only water, but electrolytes and salt, too. This delicate balance of water and electrolytes is crucial to keep your body functioning properly.

If you don't drink enough water, you can get dehydrated and suffer from light-headedness and nausea. If not recognized, dehydration can even result in kidney failure and or, in extreme cases, death. However, if you drink too much water without replenishing your electrolytes, you can experience hyponatremia. This can lead to confusion, nausea, muscle cramps, seizures or even death in extreme cases.

You may not be racing in the desert, but there are some things to keep in mind when it comes to exercising in the heat:

• The time of day is important. Unless you are training for an event that takes place in the daytime heat, avoid exercising from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's the hottest part of day. Generally, the early morning is the best time to workout, especially if it's going to be scorcher that day.

• Wear loose, light-colored. The lighter color will help reflect heat, and cotton material will help the evaporation of sweat. You may also want to try specially designed, "hi-tech" running shirts and shorts. They are often made from material meant to keep you cool.

• Sunscreen is a must. I use SPF 45 just to be safe. It's important to protect your skin. You can get burned and suffer sun damage to your skin even on cloudy days.
• Stay hydrated. Before you go out, drink a glass or two of water. Carry a bottle of water or even a hydration pack such as the CamelBak. Take a drink every 15 minutes, even when you're not thirsty. When you're done with your workout, have a few more glasses of water.

• Replenish your electrolyte and salt intake while exercising. I like to use SUCCEED capsules--small, simple packs of sodium and electrolytes that keep my system in check.

• If you can, choose shaded trails or pathways that keep you out of the sun.

• Check the weather forecast before you start your workout. If there's a heat advisory, meaning high ozone and air pollution, you might want to take your workout indoors. These pollutants can damage your lungs.

• Most importantly, listen to your body. Stop immediately if you're feeling dizzy, faint or nauseous.

If you're looking for some specially designed clothing for working out in the sun, check out Sun Precautions.

Active Expert, Joe Decker is an ultra-endurance power athlete and renowned fitness trainer who has helped thousands of people get into shape. He has completed many of the world's toughest endurance events, including the Badwater 135, and the Grand Slam of UltraRunning. In 2000, Joe broke the Guinness World Records® Twenty-four-hour Physical Fitness Challenge to help inspire and motivate people to get fit. He is recognized as "The World's Fittest Man." Visit his website at www.joe-decker.com .

Meeting tonight!!!!!

2010-07-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone, just to clarify in case there is any confusion. Tonight's club meeting will be held at Rico's - Indian Springs (next to HEB on Woodlands Pkwy/ Kuykendahl) from 6:30 - 8:30. Our guest speaker will be Chase Banks!!!! Hope to see you tonight!!! : - )

50 Ways to Know You're Hooked on Tri's!

2010-07-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

50. You are over 30 and there is still someone in your life that you refer to as “coach”.
49. Your last bike cost more than your first car.
48. You have peed outdoors more times in the last year than you did in your first year of university.
47. You think of mowing the lawn as a form of cross-training.
46. You’ve worn a heart-rate monitor to bed.
45. And it wasn’t when you were sleeping.
44. You refer to the front hall of your house as the “transition area”.
43. When you get home from a training session at the pool, the newspaper is just being delivered to your house.
42. You have changed more flat tires this year than light bulbs.
41. The most frequently used software program on your computer is the one that keeps track of your workouts.
40. You have no idea why they call Cal Ripken Jr. “Iron Man” when, after all, he was a baseball player.
39. The first three items on your grocery list are Gatorade, power bars, and gels.
38. When you floss at night, it’s to get the bugs out of your teeth.
37. Your legs move in a cycling motion while you are asleep.
36. When you see a drop of blood, your first reaction is that you spilled some red Gatorade.
35. You know how far you biked and ran last year, to one-tenth of a kilometre.
34. You think the ultimate form of wallpaper is about 64 racing bibs.
33. A 19-year old kid who works in a bicycle shop know more about you than your next-door neighbour.
32. Your children are more likely to recognize you if you put your bicycle helmet.
31. You have a vanity licence plate with the word “Kona” in it.
30. About half the shirts you own have at least a dozen logos on the back of them.
29. You don’t find the word “fartlek” in the least bit amusing.
28. When you refer to your “partner”, you mean neither your spouse nor the co-owner of your business but the person you run or bike with three times a week.
27. You shave your legs more often than your wife.
26. The closest you came to punching somebody was when they disagreed with your position on whether wearing a wetsuit amounts to cheating.
25. It doesn’t feel right that you can’t “clip “ in and out of the pedals in your car.
24. There is a group of people in your life about whom you are more likely to know how fast they can swim 100 metres than their surnames or occupations.
23. Some of the shorts you wear today are tighter than the ones you wore in high school.
22. You are frustrated with the latest Garmin Forerunner because its live readings have a margin of error of approximately three per cent.
21. There’s a separate load of laundry every week that is just your workout clothes.
20. One of your goals this year is to be faster at getting out of your wetsuit.
19. You failed high school chemistry but you could teach a course on lactic acid.
18. All you want for Christmas is something called a carbon crank set.
17. You wore a digital watch to your wedding.
16. You have to have completely separate meals from your spouse because he or she is on a low-carb diet.
15. Your bicycle is in your living room. and bedrooms
14. You have stocked up on a brand of cereal because it has a coupon that will save you money on your next two pairs of running shoes.
13. In order to establish a new personal best, you considered peeing without getting off your bike.
12. One of your proudest moments is when you lost a toenail.
11. When a car follows too closely behind you, you accuse the driver of “drafting”.
10. When you went for a job interview, you wrote your social insurance number on your arm in black marker.
9. Your spouse cried during Terms of Endearment; you cried during the television coverage of the Hawaii Ironman.
8. You are comfortable discussing the sensitivity of your nipples with other guys.
7. Your spouse is looking forward to the day when you will slow down and just run marathons.
6. You have paused in front of the mirror in your wetsuit and thought, “Hey, I look like Spiderman.”
5. You see no issue with talking about treatments for chafing or saddle rash at the dinner table.
4. You recently asked your spouse out for dinner by asking if he or she wanted to “fuel up” together.
3. For you, “bonking” no longer has a sexual connotation.
2. The magazine secretly tucked under your mattress has pictures of really expensive bicycles in it.
And the No. 1 sign you’re obsessed:
1. Most of this list doesn’t seem like a joke to you.

notes from last club meeting

2010-06-28T08:42:00.001-07:00

Hi! Click on the link below to view the notes from Coach Dana Lyon's presentation at our last club meeting. http://www.coachlyons.com/page3/page3.php

Happy training!

Custom Bike Fit for Triathletes

2010-06-22T11:43:00.000-07:00

Custom Bike Fit for Triathletes

Finish Strong Coach Dana Lyons is F.I.S.T. certified to offer you expert Tri Specific bike fitting. If you bought a new tri bike or don’t feel 100% comfortable with your current triathlon riding position, Dana can help evaluate and adjust your position, including the cleat/pedal interface, to give you the individual fit you need. The cost is $150. (Special 10% discount for all Lonestar Multisport Members. Good through September 30, 2010)

To make an appointment, email Dana at dana@coachlyons.com. Or check coachlyons.com website for more information on bike fit.

Get a (better) Grip

2010-06-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

Get a (better) Grip! – Part I
(Introduction)
by Coach Emmett Hines

This series began as an answer to a swimmer’s email question – the result is probably more than she was looking for.

You have no doubt heard or read that one of the things that set great swimmers apart from the rest of us is “feel for the water” - great swimmers have it and the rest of us, well....not so much. But then little is said about how the rest of us might attain or improve our “feel for the water”. In fact, little is even said about what “feel for the water” is. Toward that end I like to substitute the phrase “getting a grip on the water” in place of “feel for the water”. I think it gives a better mental image for the desired result.

But, for most swimmers, the idea of getting a “grip” on a fluid seems more like trying to herd cats or lasso smoke. Yes, water does offer some resistance to a hand moving through it, but, in general, when you yank your hand backwards through the water, the water yields easily to the forces you apply. You get a large portion of backward motion of the hand and a less than satisfying portion of forward motion of the body. You simply don’t have as firm a grip on the water as you’d like.

Now imagine that there is a ladder extended from one end of the pool to the other in your lane about 18” or so deep. With each stroke you reach out in front of you, grasp a convenient rung and launch yourself forward past that rung toward the next convenient rung. In such a case, the concept of getting a “grip” on a firm handhold with each stroking hand/arm is pretty easy to understand. And launching yourself forward by applying propulsive force against the unyielding rung provides very satisfying results. Watch a great swimmer, squint your eyes just right and you can almost see their ladder rungs materialize with each stroke.

My hope here is to help you achieve that same kind of result in your own swimming.

Maximize your paddle

As you are likely aware, one of the ways to improve your grip on the water is by maximizing the surface area of the “paddle” you use to apply propulsive force to the water. You do this primarily by focusing on using the entire forearm and hand as your paddle, rather than just your hand. That’s where fist swimming is so useful. (see also In Search of the Dreaded Dropped Elbow and Tricks of Mother Nature)

Add sculling to the mix

But there is an additional way we can increase effective “grip” on the water – and that’s where sculling drills come in. What I offer here is an accumulation of sculling drills, offered in a progression that will get your neuromuscular system accustomed arm motions that improve your grip on the water. My descriptions of the drills will include an explanation of how the motions they teach are effective in improving your grip. As much as possible I’ve tried to keep the explanations as non-technical as possible, mixing common analogy with descriptive terminology. My hope is that you will be able take these concepts from the screen to the pool and incorporate them into your workouts and, ultimately into your stroke habits.

Sneak preview

Before we go any further, I want you to follow each of the links below. You’ll be visiting the totally awesome site owned and produced by my friend and fellow Total Immersion veteran, Glenn Mills. The site has loads of video, drills and all manner of stuff swimming (and all the GoSwim DVDs are first rate!).

Each of the links has a “Watch the video” link in the upper right portion of the page. The video clips show swimmers propelling themselves quite handily using nothing other than side-to-side sculling motions. The comments that go along with the videos are good, but I’m mainly interested in you getting a peek at some of the sculling motions I’ll be talking about.

http://www.goswim.tv/entries/3057/breaststroke---sculling.html

http://www.goswim.tv/entries/3040/butterfly---back-sculling.html

In this series of articles I’ll be suggesting a lot more sculling skills using the same general sculling motions shown.

For freestyle…and other strokes too

The motions I’ll be dealing with through most of this are not stroke-specific but rather intended to teach general awareness of how the hands interact with the water and how sculling improves your “feel” or “grip”. Working through this series will help you develop the ability to find an effective sculling motion in nearly any conceivable combination of body position and arm position. Thus, though the progression of drills I offer ends up in swimming freestyle, both the general concepts and the visceral learning are applicable to all 4 competitive strokes.

Semantics

I want to set out a few definitions for terms I’ll be tossing around. These are terms I have adapted from other uses (or plucked from the aether) for ease and consistency of communication. As you’ll see in the definitions, I’ll be analogizing a common ceiling fan to help with some of the explanations herein.

Definition: “blade” - on a ceiling fan the blades are those wide, flat things that stick out from the center hub. In sculling, the blades are those wide, flat things at the ends of your arms - also known as “hands”.

Definition: “blade plane” - For the ceiling fan it is the spatial plane in which all the fan blades move as the hub rotates. In sculling, this is the plane in which your sweeping hands/blades move.

Definition: “pitch” – deviation from the blade plane - on a ceiling fan the blades are tilted with respect to the blade plane. In sculling, your hands are tilted, or pitched, with respect to the blade plane.

Definition: “pitch angle” – the degree of deviation from the blade plane - ceiling fan blades are tilted 12° to 15° with respect to the blade plane. In sculling, you will find, through experimentation that different pitch angles yield different results at different speeds.

I’ll also be explicitly setting out more definitions as appropriate throughout the ensuing diatribe.

Ready to get started?

This series of articles has a lot of information and quite a few drills, each with variations and nuances. It is OK (perhaps even advisable) to read through the entire series before heading off to the pool. But, when it comes to putting these words into action in the pool, I strongly encourage you to take it one part at a time. Don’t skip any of the core drills as each relies and builds upon learning accomplished in the preceding sections. Skipping sections or drills virtually guarantees you’ll get an incomplete, ineffective and confusing result. Drills that you struggle with require more work before moving on. Read and re-read the descriptions. Maybe even print out the article in question, ensconce it in a Ziplock and take it to the pool edge with you.

Some of what I lay out comes in baby steps – but baby steps that keep you on the narrow path are better than big leaps that land you out beyond the cliff’s edge. v

Part II

http://www.h2oustonswims.org/articles/get_better_grip_I.html

Tips on What to Eat Pre Workout

2010-05-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Dan Jordan

Tips on What to Eat Pre Workout

Should you eat before working out? Is it better to exercise on an empty stomach so that you tap into your fat stores and burn them away? What if you have a sensitive stomach? Should it be carbs or protein or both?? So many questions!
The bottom line: When you eat carbohydrate-rich foods before exercise, you will perform better--mentally and physically--during your workout. The question then becomes, what works best for your body?
Sensitive Stomach?
Choose low-fiber and low-fat foods before exercise. Try to eat at least one hour before beginning your workout. Skip the peanut butter and high-fiber dry cereals before your workout. Fat and fiber hold food in the stomach longer and with your sensitive stomach, you want the food that you eat before a workout to be digested and out of your gut when you start exercise. Best low-fat, low-fiber foods:
Banana
Low-fat yogurt
Whole wheat English muffin
Trying to Burn Fat?
While it is true that exercise on an empty stomach allows you to burn fat during exercise, this does not translate to a reduction in body fat. When the body is burning fat for fuel during exercise, it inevitably means that you are working out at a lower intensity. What does that mean? It means that you are burning fewer calories per minute of exercise.
To really blast through fat stores, you need to be in the carbohydrate-burning zone. When your body is using carbohydrate to fuel exercise, it means that you are burning more calories per minute. When carbohydrate isn’t available, your intensity drops, both physically and mentally. Exercise on an empty stomach generally feels much harder. Choose a satisfying meal or snack, but keep the high calorie additions to a minimum if you are trying to lose body fat. Give yourself 30-60 minutes to digest and then hit a high intensity workout. Best lower calorie, carbohydrate-rich foods to blast fat:
Unsweetened cereal with skim milk and fruit
Toast with light spread of almond butter and preserves
Low-fat yogurt-fruit parfait
Protein to Build Muscle?
Eating protein-rich foods before exercise won’t necessarily lead to bigger muscles. Focus your attention on protein-rich chicken, salmon, turkey and Greek yogurt for after your workout when your muscles are more receptive to the powerful muscle-building affects of protein.
Before any workout, you need carbs. Carbohydrate powers exercise, especially high-intensity workouts like weight lifting. You can blow through your glycogen stores (carbohydrate stores) during a heavy lifting workout. When glycogen levels get low, mental and physical energy will drop. When trying to build muscle it’s a good idea to incorporate small amounts protein into every meal and snack, provided that you aren’t sacrificing carbohydrates. Choose pre-workout meals and snacks that provide carbohydrate and a bit of protein for extra calories to build lean mass. Best muscle-building options:
Hummus with cucumber and tomato slices on whole wheat pita
Oatmeal with fruit and low-fat chicken sausage
Baked sweet potato topped with low-fat cottage cheese
Prime your body for exercise by choosing carbohydrate-rich foods for your pre-workout meal. When possible, give yourself at least 30 minutes to digest the food and absorb the nutrients. Experiment with which foods work best for your body.

Ten Tips for a Fast Transition

2010-05-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Dan Jordan

Ten Tips for a Fast Transition

1. Practice your plan
Have a plan of exactly what you are going to do and practice it over and over again until you are fast with no mistakes. Practice it physically several times in training and then rehearse it mentally several times on race morning. By the time you are in transition on race day, you should be moving on autopilot. Never try something new on race day.

2. Be a minimalist
The fewer tasks you have to do in the transition area, the faster you will go. Skip the socks and get rid of anything you don't absolutely need. Clutter will slow you down.

3. Bike shoes in the pedals
Coasting down the course at 15 mph while you put your feet in your shoes will move you far ahead of your buddy sitting on his butt in T1 doing the same task. Set your bike up in the transition area with your shoes attached to the pedals and rubber bands looped between the heels and frame, holding the shoes horizontal. On leaving T1, pedal with your feet on top of your shoes. Once you are cruising at speed, coast and slip your feet into your shoes. Keep your eyes ahead on the road, not down on your feet. On the return, slip your feet out of your shoes before you reach T2. Learn this skill first on an indoor trainer before taking it out on the open road.

4. Run with your bike
The distance from rack to mount line can be considerable at large triathlons. By running safely and quickly with your bike, it is easy to fly over this distance. Run upright with good form on the left side of your bike, holding your seat with your right hand. Your left arm swings by your side. Hold the bike upright to go straight and lean it to the side to turn. Practice in an empty parking lot.

5. Speed over the mount/dismount line
Learn a cyclo-cross mount and dismount to cruise over this line without losing any momentum. In the race you will be doing this in bare feet but initially learn and practice this skill wearing running shoes.

6. Attach your stuff to your bike
Handling small items sucks up time. Everything you need on the bike course should be attached to your bike. Tape gels to the frame, water bottles should already be on board, sunglasses looped to a cable, spare tube in a seat pack and CO2 cartridge taped to the seat post.

7. One outfit for all occasions
Start the swim with your full bike/run outfit under your wetsuit. A one piece tri-suit is ideal. Any clothing changes will add lots of time.

8. Navigation
Have you ever come out of a different mall door at Christmas time and had trouble finding your car? You can have a similar experience in a large transition area. Note where your rack spot is and how to find it from the swim exit and bike entrance. From your rack, know where the bike and run exits are and the quickest route to them.

9. Speed laces and baby powder
Tying your running shoe laces in a bow takes time. Eliminate this step using lace locks or speed laces. To help your feet slide smoothly into your running shoes, prime them with a sprinkling of baby powder.

10. Grab and go
In T2, grab what you need and go. Put on your hat and fuel belt while you are running. It is always faster to complete your tasks moving down the course rather than standing in front of your rack.

massage therapy

2010-05-18T05:13:00.000-07:00

Lets support fellow club member Ray Arroyo who is working on becoming a massage therapist through the Lone Star College - Cy Fair!!!! Starting May 19th until August 12th, students are required to practice for a certain number of hours before taking their exam. You can call or e-mail him to make an appointment: raa26pt2@hotmail.com or 832-407-0211. 1 hour massage is only $25!!! Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 12:45. You can also call the college for other appointment times, 832-482-1022 or e-mail cfmtherapy@lonestar.edu.

Ten for Texas Running Program

2010-05-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

Ten for Texas Running Program presented by Coach Dana Lyons!!!!!!!!!
12-Week Program July 17 - October 5, 2010
Click on the following link for more details!!!!

http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001ritck83OfZkelx6ny5yFO4UML4sAauRrioqmkmJ2o74QN-WBojv7r01XWXQ7IvxfQ39Go_XHwb1sSNrOU6GcIiemjRRqLG_OzH57afZpWbrFppSdyG47C1wecCwsKSqZpCffspYJaxw%3D

Organized Ride & Club Meeting

2010-05-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

There will be an organized ride this Saturday (May 15th), leaving the Branch Crossing YMCA at 8:00 a.m. Sag & refreshements will not be provided, however appetizers will be provided at Monday's (May 17th) club meeting and social, which will be held at Rico's - Indian Springs from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Hope to see you there!!!!!

Do Weak Hips Cause Pronation?

2010-05-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Susan Rouse

New research suggests weak hips are behind injuries throughout the body
By Mackenzie Lobby
As featured in the December 2009 issue of Running Times Magazine
See if this sounds familiar: First your Achilles flares up. The next week your knee starts bothering you. Then your hamstring gets all hitchy. And all on your left side. It can't be a coincidence. It's gotta be the shoes, right?

Conventional wisdom has cast atypical pronation, or the inward roll of the foot upon striking the ground, as the running injury scapegoat. And while the torsional forces caused by atypical pronation shouldn't be disregarded in diagnosing an injury, new research suggests we look deeper, or rather, higher.

A recent literature review published in Sports Health calls for a top-down, rather than ground-up, approach when it comes to identifying the source of running injuries. Reed Ferber, Ph.D., and colleagues looked at 283 studies that examined running-related injuries and concluded that the connections between weak hip stabilization muscles and running injuries were far more conclusive than those of atypical foot pronation.

Ferber, the director at the Running Injury Clinic in association with the University of Calgary, describes the kinetic chain that makes up a human body on the run: "Typical mechanics are for your foot to pronate or collapse inwards, the lower leg then internally rotates, and with that, your upper leg internally rotates as well."
He says the foot will automatically collapse inwards because of the force created by its contact with the ground. Since the lower leg must follow the foot, it also internally rotates upon foot strike. "It's like a wrench and a bolt," Ferber says. "If the bolt turns, that being your ankle, the wrench is going to move with it, the wrench being your shin."

So, no matter what, your foot and lower leg respond to the impact force of the foot hitting the ground by rolling. The upper leg is another story. While you want your upper leg to move in conjunction with the foot and lower leg, weak hip stabilization strength prevents you from controlling your femur effectively. This is the root cause of much of patellofemoral pain syndrome, or runner's knee. "There's a misalignment occurring at the knee joint where it's going to collapse too far in because you don't have the strength to control how quickly it moves or how far it moves in," Ferber says. This is when misdiagnosis often occurs. Weak hips lead to a collapse inwards of the knee and thus the foot, called "induced pronation," because the foot is being forced inwards. Since this appears to be an excessively pronating foot, high-stability shoes or orthotics are prescribed. While this will relieve knee pain for some, many will continue to struggle regardless of their shoes because their hips lack strength.

Hip, Hip, Hooray
Ferber drives the point home by referring to research out of the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Jennifer Earl, Ph.D., ATC, and colleagues prescribed a hip-strengthening program to a group of healthy female runners for eight weeks. In addition to showing a predictable increase in hip strength at the end of the program, the runners also exhibited significantly less pronation (measured by how far the heel collapsed inwards). Most impressive, the participants experienced 57 percent less pronation at the ankle joint.
"Mike Smith, who coaches the distance squad at Kansas State, as well as Olympian Christian Smith, says that this is one of the problem areas he focuses on with runners. "We often see poor hip strength coinciding with poor overall strength," he says. As such, Smith's runners spend lots of time on what many people consider supplemental exercises, but which Smith, co-creator of runningdvds.com, sees as fundamental for any runner wanting to consistently train injury-free.

Alli Grace (pictured on right, above), who runs for ZAP Fitness, is a testament to the importance of this type of strengthening. After years of struggling with IT band syndrome at the University of Kentucky, she finally identified hip weakness as the root of the problem. "I could tell my hips and butt areas were weak because once I started doing more core and drills at ZAP, I would feel my hip flexors, tensor fasciae latae, and gluteus medius/maximus muscles tense up during these exercises," Grace says.

She adds, "By strengthening the core and hips, I could handle more training, and was stronger and more powerful as a runner. It's so important to have strength in these areas, especially at the later stages of a race -- you can power through better." Since regularly incorporating hip-strengthening work into her routine and not losing down time to injury, Grace has set PRs at 5,000m (15:47) and 10,000m (33:12).

The Weak Hips Test
Do you need to strengthen your hips? Try the single-leg squat test (pictured right) to find out.
As you would do with a regular squat, keep your back straight and prepare to perform a "sitting" motion. Pick one foot off the ground and put it behind you as you squat on the other leg. Envision a straight line going from the hip, to the knee, and then to the toes of the planted leg. Avoid tilting your pelvis forward as you squat.
If the knee on the side of the planted foot falls inwards and you're unable to maintain that straight line, you need to get hip to the following strengthening exercises.

How to be a Hipster
The main hip muscles to focus on strengthening are the hip adductors, hip abductors, gluteus medius, tensor fasciae latae, piriformis, and hip flexors. If you're already injured, Ferber emphasizes the importance of "positive daily stress." Translation: Do the exercises below every day. Once you're out of the woods, two to three times a week is sufficient.
Perform 10 repetitions of each of the following exercises. For those that require you to work each side individually, finish the 10 reps before switching to the other side. Do the exercises in smooth, controlled motions. Hold each rep for two seconds. Start with one set of 10 the first day, two sets the second and third days, and three sets from the fourth day onwards. Once you're familiar with these exercises, they should take about 20 minutes to complete. Says Ferber, "We tell our patients that they are actually going to notice a positive improvement within 10 to 14 days."

1) THE BRIDGE
Lying on your back with your arms at your sides and your knees bent, slowly lift your bottom off the floor. Think of drawing a straight line from your shoulders, through your hips, ending at your knees. Hold for two seconds and lower yourself back to the ground.

2) LEG RAISE
Stay on your back with your arms at your sides and your knees bent. Straighten one leg and raise it upwards to reach a 45-degree angle with the ground. Be sure your foot is flexed and your toes are facing the sky. Lower slowly and repeat.

3) HIP EXTENSION
Lying face-down with your legs extended, lift one leg and hold for two seconds. As you lift, your gluteus medius muscles should respond by tightening.

4) HIP ABDUCTION
Lie on one side of your body with your arm closest to the ground extended and your legs straight. Use your other arm to brace your body. Lift the upper leg in a scissor-like motion. Hold and lower.

5) STANDING HIP ABDUCTION
Place your right hand on your hip and the left on a chair or table to help balance your body. With your left leg straight and planted firmly on the ground, lift your right leg to the side and hold for two seconds.

6) HIP FLEXION
Remain standing by the chair or table to stabilize your body. While you balance yourself with the hand closest to the chair, lift the opposite leg and bend the knee to a 90-degree angle with your torso.
Once you've mastered the first six, consider trying these more advanced exercises:

7) STANDING LUNGE
With your hands on your hips, take an exaggerated step out, bend the knee, and lower your body so your front leg is bent at a 90-degree angle. You should be able to draw a straight line from your toes up to your knee. Once you reach that 90-degree angle, slowly raise your body back up and step back to your original position. Alternate sides.

8) SINGLE-LEG BRIDGING
As in the original bridge, lie on your back with your hands at your sides. With one knee bent and the other straight, raise your bottom off the ground. Be sure a straight line follows from your shoulders, to the hip, knee, and toes of the extended leg. Hold, lower, repeat, and switch sides.

Copyright © 2010 Running Times Magazine - All Rights Reserved.
http://runningtimes.com/Print.aspx?articleID=18359

SOCIAL - Lonestar Multisport club meeting

2010-05-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Rico's (Indian Springs)
Monday, May 17
6:30pm

Club meeting will be a social and we'll be taking a group photo!

Bikram Yoga The Woodlands

2010-04-30T08:11:00.001-07:00

Don’t forget to use your 1 week pass to Bikram Yoga The Woodlands…

If you did not receive a pass, please e-mail Jennifer Zambrano jendanyell@yahoo.com

CB&I Triathlon

2010-04-30T08:10:00.001-07:00

CB&I Triathlon –
Good luck to those who are racing this weekend!!!!! Lets plan on meeting in front of the playground area for a group photo at 9:45 a.m.!!!!!!

Volunteer call for YMCA Trail Run – Saturday May 8th

2010-04-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

Volunteer call for YMCA Trail Run – Saturday May 8th
http://www.southcounty-ymca.org/dyncat.cfm?catid=3044
The YMCA needs 15-20 volunteers to help with the kid's course direction and chip removal. Most volunteers will be finished by 8:30am. They are asking that a few volunteers to stay on the course for the other events (3k walk, 5k run). These volunteers should be finished around 9:15am.

Contact Jennifer Zambrano if interested – jendanyell@yahoo.com

My 10 Favorite Races: By Gale Bernhardt

2010-04-14T07:07:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Susie Schreiber

My 10 Favorite Races:
By Gale Bernhardt

Gale Bernhardt was the USA Triathlon team coach at the 2003 Pan American Games and 2004 Athens Olympics. Her first Olympic experience was as a personal cycling coach at the 2000 Games in Sydney. She currently serves as one of the World Cup coaches for the International Triathlon Union's Sport Development Team. Thousands of athletes have had successful training and racing experiences using Gale's pre-built, easy-to-follow cycling and triathlon training plans. Let Gale and Active Trainer help you succeed.

I've been hooked on endurance sports since 1986. In that time, I've had the good fortune to participate in, and be a spectator at, some fantastic events.
When asked to boil it down to my top 10, it was tough. Be forewarned that some of these races fill up some seven months to a year in advance. If you want to experience any of these fun events, look into registering soon.

1. Tri Glenwood Triathlon — Glenwood Springs, Colorado
This event was one of my first triathlons, and it is still going strong. One of the things that makes this event special is that the organizers actually cool down the historic Glenwood Springs Hot Springs pool so that triathletes can begin the race with an open-water-style pool swim.
There was a bagpipe musician playing the pipes in a location tucked away beside the trail. It seemed magical.
Heats of racers swim circular laps in the historic pool, which measures 405 feet long and 100 feet wide. What also makes this event special is the post-race party, featuring a barbecue and awards ceremony. The food and hand-crafted awards have always been top notch.

2. Loveland Lake to Lake Triathlon — Loveland, Colorado
Yes, you might say this is my hometown favorite, but the event has earned its spot on this list. The current swim begins in Lake Loveland, with perfect views of Longs Peak and Mount Meeker toward the west. The bike ride is a challenging loop to Horsetooth Reservoir and back, one of my regular (and favorite) local rides. Made for strong cyclists, the course is a hilly 30 miles.
The event finishes with a flat run, great food and awards in the amphitheater. Athletes can go for a cool-down walk in Benson Sculpture Park that showcases beautiful pieces from the artist community living in or visiting Loveland. Artists showcase work in these parks each August at America's largest outdoor sculpture shows Loveland Sculpture Invitational and Art in the Park.

3. Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race — Leadville, Colorado
The first time I did this race was in 2005, several years before Lance Armstrong made it one of his favorite races. With a cut-off time of 12 hours, I managed to score the "Last Ass Up the Pass" trophy with a blazing time of 11:59:55. Yes, a five-second, by-the-lycra-threads-of-my-shorts victory.
This narrow victory made me want to go back for more. I not only wanted more racing, where the majority of the event is held at altitudes above 10,000 feet, but more of the mountain town. After completing the 2005 event I read several books on the rich history of Leadville; which made me further respect the town, the people and its contributions to the state of Colorado, as well as the nation's history.
Some names of famous people getting their start in Leadville, or having Leadville significantly influence their course in life, include J.J. & (The Unsinkable) Molly Brown, H.A.W. (Horace) and Baby Doe Tabor, Daniel Guggenheim and Charles Boettcher. Of course the riches of gold and silver brought outlaws and lawmen the likes of the Younger Gang, Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson and the Earp brothers.
Honoring that rough and tumble history, race organizers give out great prizes that include ore carts, mining pans with real gold dust, belt buckles, pendants for women, whiskey and a small taste of the wild west via mountain bike. "You're better than you think you are, you can do more than you think you can."

4. Bighorn Mountain Wild and Scenic Trail Run — Sheridan and Dayton, Wyoming
I've done the 30K and the 50K events and both begin with a bus ride to the starting location. Both groups are dropped off at the same location, but 50K racers do a 20K loop in the mountains before heading back to Dayton on the same route as the 30K racers.
The route includes jeep roads, single-track trail, running through fields of thigh-deep wild flowers and finishes on a dirt road that takes you back to the park where you can soak tired legs and feet in the river. The years that I ran the event, there was a bagpipe musician playing the pipes in a location tucked away beside the trail. It seemed magical.
A group of us did a lot of training runs together, and I ran the entire 50K with a friend of mine. Though she is a much better runner than I, she was willing to hang with me. This event made me realize how much I enjoyed training for long endurance events with friends. It really is all about the journey.

5. Ironman — Multiple events world-wide, with the crown jewel in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Ironman-distance racing was made iconic world-wide via the television coverage of the Hawaiian Ironman event held in Kailua-Kona. The Ironman family has since expanded to host multiple events around the world.
In the mainstream sports world, it is arguably the accomplishments of Ironman athletes that associate the word "triathlon" with challenge, toughness, pain, endurance, overcoming obstacles and success. If you don't want to put yourself through racing one of these events, I highly recommend watching the start of one of these races and then return to watch the last hour of finishers.

6. ITU World Championships — Varies from year to year
I love the fast-paced racing of International Triathlon Union (ITU) events. This multiple-loop, draft-legal format is a kick to watch, and my favorite courses feature big hills on the bike and maybe the run, too. These events showcase athlete speed, tactics and guts. These events are the path to the Olympic Games -- and I'm a Games addict.
Amateur (age group) athletes around the world go through a qualification process within their nation to travel to the ITU World Championships to represent their respective countries. In the U.S.A. the process to qualify for Team U.S.A. is listed on the USA Triathlon website. As an athlete representing your country, you march in a parade of nations modeled after the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games.
I felt extremely patriotic racing in my nation's colors, in my team uniform and in the parade. A bonus for age groupers is watching the Elite ITU World Championship event that contains multiple current and future Olympians. If you can't travel to the Olympics, perhaps you can race yourself and watch the Elite ITU World Championships with an Olympic-quality field.

7. Winter Park Mountain Bike Race Series — Winter Park, Colorado
In particular, my favorite course is the Tipperary Creek event known as "King of the Rockies". This course was the beginning of mountain bike racing for me, and the King of the Rockies used to be a stage race. I like the idea of mountain bike stage racing and miss that aspect of the event; but I still like this course. It begins on a wide service road and allows the group to get spaced out before heading up a wide-track climb.
This climb further separates racers so you can really enjoy the single-track. You ride through lush green meadows and forest. The trail hosts roots, rocky sections, a few areas of technical challenge and water crossing. The water can be deep and spectator pleasing. Organizers have expanded over the years to host eight events within the series. There is plenty of fun to be had over the entire season.

8. BolderBOULDER 10K — Boulder, Colorado
In true Boulder style, this race has top elite racers, fast age groupers, those just trying to finish and the costumed group. In 2009, the event attracted more than 54,000 racers. The on-course entertainment has grown so big that it has its own page on the website. Not listed are the numerous belly dancers, costumed people and only-in-Boulder characters.
All runners finish in the University of Colorado's Folsum Field, and many hang around post-race to watch the elites run in a separate wave after the citizen's race. By the time I ran into the stadium (fast runners are staged first), the place was packed so it sounded like the entire stadium was cheering for me. You gotta do this race at least once.

9. USTS Indianapolis — Indianapolis, Illinois
The last two events on my list are now extinct. I'm hoping that by showcasing them here perhaps it will somehow bring them back to life.
This particular event was part of the U.S. Triathlon Series of events, sponsored by Bud Light. The best part of this event was that I got to ride my bike on the Indianapolis 500 Race Track. This race track is rich in automotive and racing history. I recall riding past the light tower that is used to start the race. I had to slow down just to get a full look at the tower, it is so enormous.
Who wouldn't ride fast on the Indy track?

10. Scott Tinley's Dirty Adventures — Ft. Collins, Colorado
Tinley's Dirty Adventures used to be a national series. Though my local Colorado Tinley's race no longer exists, Tinley's Adventures continues to thrive in southern California. I loved this event because it offered shorter, easier courses for beginners and tougher courses for advanced racers. You could race one event or more events over the course of three days.
Those that wanted extra challenge could enter the "Toughest Competition," which was essentially multisport stage racing. My race began on Friday with a mountain bike time trial. The second day was an off-road triathlon and the third day was an off-road duathlon. Great fun!
It is worth mentioning that Scott Tinley's contributions to the sport of triathlon and to dirty fun are recognized in the XTERRA Hall of Fame.

8 Common Nutrition Mistakes...and How to Fix Them

2010-04-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Susie Schreiber

8 Common Nutrition Mistakes...and How to Fix Them
By Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD

Nutrition may be your missing link in training. Here are eight common nutrition mistakes many athletes make with tips and recipes for how to solve them.

No. 1: Beneficial Protein Intake
Some athletes eat too little protein; others eat too much. For example, a 150 lb (68 kg) athlete may need 0.5 to 0.75 g pro/lb (1-1.5 g pro/kg); this translates into about 75 to 105 g pro/day. This athlete can easily consume too much protein if the foundation of the menu is:

Breakfast: 6 egg whites - 18 grams of protein
Lunch: 1 can of tuna - 35 grams
Snack: 1 protein bar -20 grams
Dinner: 2 chicken breasts - 90 grams
16 oz. milk - 16 grams
Total: 179 grams

This amount of protein is excessive, to the point some of the protein could be wisely traded for more carbs to better fuel the workouts.

In contrast, a vegetarian athlete on a reducing diet could easily underconsume protein if foundation of the menu is:
Breakfast: 2 egg whites - 7 grams of protein
Lunch: salad with 1/4 cup of chickpeas - 3 grams
Dinner: 1 garden burger - 11 grams
Total: 21 grams

Too little protein contributes to poor recovery, muscle wasting, and suboptimal results from hard training.

Solution: By meeting with a sports dietitian, you can learn your protein requirement and how to translate that into food.

No. 2: Iron to Prevent Fatigue From Anemia
Iron-deficiency anemia is common, particularly in females. Anemia causes needless fatigue and reduced performance. A survey of collegiate athletes indicates 20 percent of the female volleyball and basketball players were anemic, as were 50 percent of the soccer team. (1)

Anemia is particularly common among women who have heavy menstrual blood losses, but eat neither red meat nor iron-enriched breakfast cereal.

Solution: If you feel needlessly tired, get your blood tested by your doctor and be sure to get your serum ferritin measured. To help prevent anemia, strive to eat an iron-rich diet of:

red meat, or iron-rich alternatives (dark-meat chicken or turkey, salmon, tuna)
iron-fortified cereals (Wheaties, Raisin Bran, Total)

To enhance iron absorption, include with each meal a source of vitamin C, such as orange juice, berries, broccoli, tomato or other fruits and vegetables.

No. 3: Post-exercise Food
At the end of a hard workout, you haven't finished your training until you have refueled. Don't rush off to work or school, with "no time to eat" as the excuse.

Solution: Plan ahead, so you have recovery foods readily available. Even in a time-crunch, you should be able refuel your muscles properly. "No time" is no excuse.

No. 4: Recovering With Both Carbs + Protein
Recovery foods should offer a foundation of carbs with protein as the accompaniment. A reasonable target is about 240 calories of carbs (60 g carb) and about 80 calories (20 g) of protein. Some popular choices include Greek yogurt with honey, chocolate milk, cereal with milk, and pasta with meat sauce. You need not buy engineered recovery foods; standard fare works fine.

Note that recovery foods can be eaten pre-exercise. That is, a pre-exercise yogurt gets digested into amino acids and glucose; those food components will be ready and waiting to be put into use when you stop exercising. In a 10-week study with recreational body builders, those who consumed a protein-carb supplement both immediately before and right after the mid-afternoon strength training session gained 2.3 pounds more muscle and 7 pounds more in strength (as measured by bench press), compared to the group without the pre- and post-exercise fuel. (2)

Athletes who do two workouts a day really need to rapidly refuel with a proper recovery diet. A six-week study with swimmers reports those who did two workouts (morning and afternoon) sprinted slower than those who swam only in the afternoon (3). If nutrition is your missing link, don't even think about double workouts.

Solution: You may not feel hungry for solid foods after a hard bout of exercise, but you are likely thirsty. A fruit smoothie (made with yogurt) is excellent for recovery, as is a chug of chocolate milk. Both contain carbs to refuel, and protein to build and repair muscles and reduce muscle soreness.

No. 5: Rest Days for Muscles to Refuel
Rest is an important part of a training program; muscles need time to refuel and heal. Depleted muscles may need more than 24 hours to replace glycogen stores. Hence, rest days with little or no exercise enhance a training program.

Athletes who want to lose weight commonly hesitate to take a rest day; they fear they will "get fat." These athletes need to understand:

1) On a rest day, they will feel just as hungry because the muscles need food to refuel.
2) They will gain (water) weight. For each 1 oz. of glycogen, the muscles store about 3 oz. water. This water gets released during exercise; it is beneficial.

Solution: Plan one to two rest days a week. Notice how much better you are able to perform the day after a rest day.

No. 6: Adequate Fluids
Athletes who stay well hydrated can train harder and perform better. For each one percent of body weight lost via sweat, your heart has to beat three to five more times per minute (4). This creates needless fatigue.

Solution: If you are well-hydrated, you will need to urinate every two to four hours, and your urine will be a light color. If you are sweat heavily, you really should learn how much sweat you lose (and thereby need to replace) during a workout. Do this my weighing yourself naked before and after exercise. For each pound (16 oz.) of sweat, you should drink at least 16 to 24 oz. of fluid.

No. 7: Sodium Before Exercise in the Heat
Research with trained cyclists reports they rode 20 minutes longer to exhaustion (99 vs. 79 minutes) in 90 degrees Farenheit (32 degrees Celsius) heat when they drank a pre-ride beverage with about 1,000 vs. 150 mg sodium. They drank no fluids while riding. (5)

Solution: If you train and compete in the heat, you should consume salty foods beforehand. This holds water in your body and reduces your risk of becoming dehydrated.

No. 8: The Sports Dietitian (RD, CSSD)
Serious athletes generally have a support crew that includes a coach, sports psychologist, medical doctor, physical therapist and massage therapist. But to their detriment, some fail to have a sports dietitian on their team. Don't let that be your case.

Solution: To get the most from your workouts, use the referral network at http://www.scandpg.org/ to find a local registered dietitian who is a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (RD CSSD). This professional can help you:

resolve your struggles with "no time" to eat properly
find pre-exercise fuel that reduces stomach problems and "transit trouble"
attain your desired weight and percent body fat
transform disordered eating into effective fueling

The bottom line: Don't let nutrition be your missing link. You will always win with good nutrition.

Nancy Clark MS, RD counsels casual exercisers and competitive athletes at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill, MA (617-383-6100). Her NEW 2008 Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook 4th Edition, and her Food Guide for Marathoners and Cyclist’s Food Guide are available via http://www.nancyclarkrd.com/.

References1. Eichner, R. Anemia and Blood Boosting. Sports Science Exchange #81, Vol 14(2), 20012. Cribb, P., and A. Hayes. 2006. Effects of supplement timing and resistance exercise on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Med Sci Sports Exerc 38(1):1918-1925.3. Costill, D.L., R. Thomas, R.A. Robergs, et al. 1991. Adaptations to swimming training: Influence of training volume. Med Sci Sports Exerc 23(3):371-377.4. Casa D., L. Armstrong, S. Montain, et al. 2000. National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Fluid replacement for athletes. J Athletic Training 35(2):212-224.5. Sims, S.T., L. van Vliet, J. Cotter, and N. Rehrer. 2007. Sodium loading aids fluid balance and reduces physiological strain of trained men exercising in the heat. Med Sci Sports Exerc 39(1):123-130.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!!!

2010-04-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

We've been asked to help out in the transition area of The Memorial Herman Ironman 70.3 that's taking place 04.25.2010 in Galveston. There will be 2 shifts: morning and afternoon. To entice you, you will have access to a volunteer tent fully equipped with food & drinks (the adult kind). Not to mention, we'll be helping out Greg Pennington! Please contact Jennifer Zambrano for more details. jendanyell@yahoo.com

These races can't "RUN" without the help of volunteers so please consider donating your time to this great event.

FASTER TRANSITIONS!

2010-04-12T07:21:00.000-07:00

TXTRI & MLC
PRESENTS

FASTER TRANSITIONS!
by USAT certified coaches

MICHELLE LEBLANC and SANDRA SUTHERLAND
WHEN: SAT- APRIL 17, 2010
TIME: 8AM- 9:30AM
BRING: RACE DAY SWIM/BIKE/RUN GEAR
JOIN US AT : VILLA SPORTS PARKING LOT (POOL SIDE)

PRACTICAL APPLICATION AND DEMO

LEARN HOW TO SHAVE OFF TIME !

ENHANCE YOUR TRAINING NOW!
FOR A COMPREHENSIVE BREAKDOWN OF ALL THE ELEMENTS OF THE TRANSITION JOIN US SATURDAY.
COACHES WILL BE DEMONSTRATING ALL THE TECHNIQUES USED BY THE PRO’S TO "MAX OUT" THE MOST OF YOUR TRANSITION!

ALL LEVELS CAN BENEFIT FROM OUR TECHNICAL TRAINING. IMPROVE YOUR T1 & T2 TIME AT YOUR NEXT RACE!

DEMO/TECHNIQUE APP/TIMING AND EVALUATION
Q & A TO FOLLOW!

SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 8:00 AM

RESERVE YOUR TRANSITON SPOT TODAY / LIMITED SPACE
GO TO: WWW.MAXOUTSPORTS.COM
$30 CLINIC P/P

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION YOU MAY CONTACT:
michelletrue@hotmail.com or sandra@txtri.com

Is Caffeine Bad For Triathletes?

2010-03-31T07:35:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Jennifer Zambrano

Is Caffeine Bad For Triathletes?
by Ben Greenfield on March 17, 2010 in Health & Nutrition

Americans and many other countries love their coffee. First thing in the morning, before a shower or even patting the family dog on the head – gotta’ have that cup of Joe! There are others who have either heard that coffee is bad for you or simply don’t like the flavor, and drink tea instead. Others will grab a soda or even an energy drink to get their morning going. Then the common pattern at work is a few more cups of coffee (or tea, energy drink, diet soda, etc.) to perk up the morning rush, then maybe another after lunch to fight off the effects of a hurried simple carbohydrate based or overly processed microwave meal. You may even be nursing a warm cup of coffee while you read this.
We often hear stories of the benefits of coffee, or even tea – anything from assisting in weight loss to reducing the risk of diabetes. However, a bigger, less know effect of coffee, tea, energy drinks, sodas, and other drinks is that they all lower your body’s pH levels. "pH" is a scale that measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is. The scale ranges from 1 to 14 with 1 being very acid, 7 neutral and 14 very alkaline. So what does pH have to do with you and your blood? Well, the pH of your blood is extremely important. The ideal pH level for your blood is right around 7.35 and your body goes to enormous lengths to maintain this level.
Why? Because if your blood pH were to vary 1 or 2 points in either direction, it would change the electrical chemistry in your body, there would be no electrical power and in short order you would drop dead. As you can see, maintaining the right pH level in your blood is pretty important!! Inadequate mineral intake, the sweat-induced loss of calcium and magnesium, stress (both physical and psychological) and the intake of acidic beverages (including coffee, tea, soda, juice milk and energy drinks) disrupt the body’s blood chemistry, making it more acidic.
When the body is too acidic, it will extract essential minerals from bones and tissues in an effort to restore alkalinity. This, in turn, dramatically increases the risk of bone loss for both men and women. When your cells and tissues are overly acidic, you are more likely to:
-Fatigue more quickly and recover from exercise more slowly.
-Find it difficult to concentrate and feel pessimistic.
-Have difficulty setting and working toward goals.
-Suffer from frequent colds, flu, allergies or respiratory problems.
-Experience chronic muscle soreness or joint pain and stiffness.
These are only a few of the more serious effects of low (acidic) blood pH levels, and when you think of a developing teenager gulping down energy drinks, the greater concerns become obvious. Sitting at your desk at work drinking more and more coffee to keep alert and energy levels up is only making the problem worse over time.
So, is drinking coffee bad for you? I advise my clients to reduce or eliminate caffeine (except before an endurance event), sodas, energy drinks, etc. depending on their goals. One client who was training for an endurance event was a ‘lifetime’ coffee drinker – and after quitting the habit he found that after two weeks he was more alert at work, able to get up on the first alarm without effort, and had far more energy to devote to his workouts. The proof is in the results.
However, like with any stimulant, a proper tapering off of your drink of choice is required in order to prevent withdrawal symptoms, non-coffee headaches, or even relapse.
By Eric Petersen, CPFT

http://www.trifuel.com/training/health-nutrition/is-caffeine-bad-for-triathletes

For Sale ! Women's Specialized DOLCE Comp.

2010-03-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

For Sale ! Women's Specialized DOLCE Comp. Size 51cm. Ultegra components. Includes Wireless Cateye (Speed-Distance-Time) and Look Keo Classic Pedals. Color: RED.... Remember.... Red bikes are always faster!!!
Bought it in 2007. $375.00
Contact Ana Lemus @ 936.397.1818

The 5 P’s for a successful 2010 by Jackie Lewis

2010-02-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

The 5 P’s for a successful 2010 by Jackie Lewis

1. Purpose-Know what the goal is!
2. Passion-Have a burning desire to achieve it!!
3. Planning-Determine how you will go about it!!!
4. Perspiration-Work hard and follow the plan!!!!
5. Perseverance-Don’t let anything get in your way!!!!!

The first step is to determine what your 2010 season goals are. Without goals it’s impossible to know what you are trying to achieve. You may plan to race in just one race or 15. Be realistic with how much time you have to devote to training while balancing your other responsibilities. Prioritize what races are important by assigning them an A, B or C. Now list three measurable goals for the season. It may be to overcome your fear of open water swimming by June, shave off 3 minutes on your 5k by July or participate in your first Olympic distance triathlon by Sept. You will then need to add short term obtainable training objectives to each of your three goals. Be specific in what you are trying to accomplish, know what your limiters are and set specific training objectives that will inch you towards accomplishing the overall goal. Keeping a training journal is a very effective way to measure your progress while keeping your sights on your long term objectives. If this sounds too daunting or confusing, solicit help from a coach. Certified coaches can help you set and achieve realistic goals without the worry of hurting yourself or wasting time. Several reputable certifications include: USAT, CSCS, ACSM and ACE… just to list a few. Don’t be afraid to ask for references and for their certification #, you can generally verify their certification online for each specific association. Sign up for group training sessions. The camaraderie and encouragement from others will help you stick with it and make it twice as rewarding as you start to accomplish your season goals. And just remember, any goal worth doing takes purpose, passion, planning, perspiration and perseverance!

Favorite inspiring quotes-authors unknown:
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”
“Winners aren’t quitters and quitters never win.”
“Success is not a destination it’s a journey.”

Lonestar Multisport Club meeting - Monday, February 15

2010-02-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

Lonestar Multisport Club meeting
Monday, February 15
6:30pm
Buca Di Beppo in the Portofino shopping center located on 45N
http://www.bucadibeppo.com/

Ronnie Strange w/ RPM Sports (pro Cyclist) - Proper bike fit and cycling

Willie Fowlkes (CB&I Triathlon Race Director) will give away entries to CB&I Triathlon!

2010-02-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

Submitted by Mark Tefft
The popular triathlon-related magazines have carried articles on what seat angle you ought to use. But has this subject been addressed in the not-so-popular magazines, that is, the scientific journals? Our sport’s glossy pubs have done a good job of presenting to the layman the "science" on hydration and hyponatremia and related subjects. It’s not overstating it to say that hundreds of studies have been carried out in each of those categories, with corresponding articles published in peer-reviewed publications.

But what about bike position? If Triathlete or Inside Triathlon has reported on what’s been published in the scientific journals, I haven’t seen it. What they’ve written is like what I’ve written, which is that according to the author and the mouse in his pocket, this seat angle or that one is better.

I’m not a real scientist; I just play one on the internet. But there have been real studies performed by real scientists on the subject of seat angles, and I thought I’d write about some of them. All the tests I’ll write about below had subjects riding on a modified bicycle ergometer, that is, a stationary bike with the ability to offer a range of seat angles. Not in every case could I find what the protocol was for handlebar alterations that accompanied a change in seat angles. Take for example, "Cardiorespiratory responses to seat-tube angle variation during steady-state cycling," by Heil, et al, (Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 1995). This study had cyclists riding a bicycle ergometer at four angles ranging from 69 degrees to 90 degrees. We don’t know with any precision how the handlebars were altered to negate the ill effects of a bad-fitting bike. Just the same, the study showed that only at the shallowest of angles (69 degrees) did the respiratory system of a cyclist come under more stress than at any of the steeper angles.

Two years later two studies came out. The first of these was published in the same journal as the study above, and was entitled, "Influence of different racing positions on metabolic cost in elite cyclists" (Gnehm, et al). It did not specifically test seat angles, but the study is important to note. Its authors mention going in that, "The spectacular improvements of the 1-h world record in cycling in the last four years have highlighted the importance of aerodynamics in modern bicycle racing." In the early-to-mid ‘90s the record had been significantly lowered by Moser, Boardman and Obree, each of which used more and more exotic bikes and bike positions. This study tested 14 elite male bike racers in three positions: upright with hands on the tops, crouched with hands on the road bars, and laid out on the aero bars.

Gnehm looked at metabolic changes while riders were in these three positions, and noted that riders in the aero position paid a penalty of about 9 watts versus the other two positions. It also noted that this is minor compared to Gnehm’s estimate of 100 watts an aero positions saves by virtue of a lower wind resistance. This was an oft-cited study by cyclists in newsgroups and forums in the late ‘90s, but I doubt its relevancy. First, I doubt that an aero position saves 100 watts. That’s a huge number, and I would guess that 20 - 40 watts might be more like it. Second, it appears that Gnehm did not change the seat angle for his subjects when he flattened their backs and lowered their drag. What Gnehm’s study seems to indicate is that even if you put a rider in a fairly uncomfortable aero position, the power output doesn’t markedly diminish.

The second of the ‘97 studies was published in the Journal of Sports Sciences (Price and Donne) and was called, "Effect of variation in seat tube angle and different seat heights on submaximal cycling performance in man." The article stated that, "At a seat tube angle of 80 degrees, mean VO2 was significantly lower and power efficiency significantly higher compared with an angle of 74 degrees." Likewise, 74 degrees offered more efficiency than 68 degrees.

This study is interesting because it tests not only three different seat angles (68, 74, and 80 degrees) but variable seat heights at each angle. As the quote above suggests, 80 degrees is the most efficient angle at which to ride. But there is of course more to the story. What were the handlebar configurations? What were the stem heights, the hip angles? We’ll get to that.

Interestingly, Price, et al, noted that differences in seat angle preferences were specific to classes of athletes: "...in contrast, triathletes’ bicycles have steeper angles of 78 - 82 degrees." The author also references the Heil article (noted above) and suggested that one reason why Heil found that 68 degrees was the only angle in which his subjects performed poorly was in Heil’s choice of subjects, "80% of whom," Price noted, "were triathletes who normally ride at a steep seat tube angle.

" This particular study simply utilized a seat shifter, a nifty device once in relatively common usage by triathletes in the early '90s. It replaced the bicycle’s seat post, and with a lever on the handlebars you could change your seat angle on the fly. I’ve tracked down the study’s author and emailed him, asking him to verify that no changes were made to the handlebar set-ups as the seat angles were altered during his study. I’ve yet to receive a reply. I don’t, however, see any notation that any change in the bikes was effected other than a change in the seat angle provided by the seat shifter.

The results of this test are, to me, startling. These were road racers riding a road race bike, and they in general rode with considerable economy at 80 degrees versus their usual angle of 74 degrees. Oxygen consumption at the given rate of exertion was about 37 ml/kg/min at 80 degrees versus about 38.5 at 74 degrees (if you’re consuming more oxygen to do a given amount of work, you’re working harder, i.e., you’re less efficient).

Why did the authors achieve this result? "The mean shoe-pedal angle changes produced by altering the tube angle," opined the authors, "would result in a decreased effective force during the first half of the pedal stroke but an increased effective force during the second half. We speculate that increasing the tube angle improves effective force transfer during the second half of the pedal stroke.

" The authors also noted that this series of tests only related to riding on the flat, and to submaximal power outputs, often atypical of race conditions. Just the same, it’s an interesting result and may bear on the next and, for us, most topical study.

The definitive article is now passing its second anniversary since its publication. The "Effects of bicycle frame ergonomics on triathlon 10-km running performance," by Ian Garside and Dominic Doran, appeared in the Journal of Sports Sciences in June 2000. As was the case with all the studies on this subject, the tests were performed in strict lab conditions, with gas analyzers and all that stuff. All subjects rode stationary ergometers.

Unlike Price et al above, Garside utilized triathletes, but: "All participants were naive to training and racing on bicycles with steep seat tube angles (>76-degrees); all participants used a 73-degree frame geometry as standard."

As opposed to most of the testing up to this point, Garside’s protocol called for the tests to be conducted, "as fast as possible under race-like conditions." The test called for triathletes to ride a 40km simulation on both a 73-degree set-up and then on an 81-degree set-up, each followed immediately by a fast-as-possible 10km run on a treadmill.

The authors noted the improved bike/run performance in the field, "based on anecdotal testimony from athletes purporting to have experienced improved performance." But, they noted that prior to this study, "No empirical evidence exists."

Frankly, the results were groundbreaking, for three reasons. First, these triathletes absolutely blew away their "duathlon" performances in the steeper configuration. The average time it took subjects to complete the 40km/10km "brick" was about 1:50 at 73 degrees of seat angle, and it was a full 5+ minutes faster at 81 degrees.

Second, as this test was performed in England, the triathletes there were (as previously noted) "naive" to steep seat angles, that is, they all normally rode shallow. Imagine their surprise at the result! (For a further explanation of the tendency of UK triathletes to ride shallow, consider our 2001 Kona Bike Survey on UK-based entries).

And finally, these tests only measured the physiological responses to the biomechanical change generated by a steeper seat angle. As this test was performed in a lab on stationary equipment, the aerodynamic benefit one derives from the ability to achieve a lower frontal profile with a steeper seat angle was not part of the equation.

Where in this 40km/10km exercise did the time savings occur? There were some time savings achieved during the bike leg. Average 40km times were 1:04:10 in the 73-degree configuration and 1:02:54 for the riders when at 81 degrees. But it was in the first half of the run that the big time savings occurred. It took riders 24:15 to complete the first 5km off the shallow set-up, and only 21:41 after riding the steep bike (and remember, these triathletes had never run off a steep set-up before).

The time savings continued during the second half of the run, but the gap narrowed. The subjects ran 22:01 and 21:14 in the second half of the 10km after riding in shallow and steep configurations respectively.

There is one curious element to these results which is not addressed in the study. It is odd to me that as a group there was such a marked tendency to negative-split the run. While this is not as pronounced in the steep test (21:41 to 21:14) it is severe in the shallow test (24:15 to 22:01). This one element gives me pause when considering the parallel between this test and what happens at triathlons I attend.

As the authors discuss the results they say, "Unexpectedly, the time to completion of the 40km cycle section was faster under the 81-degree 'steep' than the 73-degree 'shallow' condition." This underscores the tendency, I think, for the traditional view to hold sway in the UK, which is that if steep is faster, it’s only because it helps during the run. Obviously the authors were forced to rethink that position, especially as there is still the untested (by them) issue of wind resistance to consider.

The authors only guess at the causes for the enhanced ability to perform with the steeper seat angle, and posit about the,

"greater contribution of the hamstrings and gluteus muscles (Heil et al., 1995). Although muscle recruitment cannot be determined from the present results, alterations in muscle recruitment or activation patterns can have the effect of distributing muscular work over a greater muscle mass (increased contribution of the hamstring and gluteus muscles) that would theoretically reduced the work rate per individual muscle fiber (Coyle et al., 1988)."

Juxtapose that statement, in which the operative phrase is "distributing muscular work over a greater muscle mass," with what Price says in the study above: "We speculate that increasing the tube angle improves effective force transfer during the second half of the pedal stroke." It seems that both authors feel that steep seat angles might distribute work over a greater range of the pedal stroke and in so doing lessen the peak torque that must be applied if should that power application be concentrated over a shorter arc.

The scientists quoted above uttered statements that are not unlike what I wrote a couple of months ago in my Intro to training with power: "I’m convinced that the bane of the triathlete during the bike segment is the peak power one puts out, and not only in terms of too many watts now and then during the ride, but peak power inside the pedal stroke as well." The difference, of course, between what I wrote and what the scientists wrote above is that I was simply writing from the seat of my pants, while Price and Garside had actual data they themselves generated to back up their hypotheses.

The demonstration that steeper seat angles (and not for tri bikes, but for road race bikes) is better is not knew. Gonzalez, et al, (Journal of Biomechanics) demonstrated in 1989, in "Multivariable optimization of cycling biomechanics" that the optimal seat angle for his subjects averaged 76 degrees (as is the case with all of these studies, however, this relates to riding on the flats). But Gonzalez’ study also demonstrated that riding with a cadence of 115 bpm was optimal, and this corresponds only roughly to a real-world race situation.

Though these studies were all conducted inside four walls, and took place on the "flats" and were only sparsely conducted with race-specific exertions, evidence is piling up in favor of steeper seat angles. And that is especially true when one considers the post-cycling run in triathlon, at least up through the International Distance.
http://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/What_science_says_of_seat_angles_222.html

Free Air: How to Breathe Easier by Terry Laughlin

2010-02-05T09:59:00.000-08:00

Submitted by Mark Tefft
If I ask new swimmers what their biggest challenge is, most say it’s breathing. Many report experiencing one or more of the following symptoms of “airlessness.”

They’re out of breath after a lap or two
They hold their breathing, because their stroke falls apart during a breath.
They’re concerned with taking in water, instead of air.

If any of these are true it’s nearly impossible to build toward a continuous mile. In fact, you become so preoccupied with or distracted by lack of air that it’s hard to think of much of anything else.

If this describes you — or even if you can swim a mile but feel your breathing technique could be better — this blog’s for you. This stepwise series of focal points focus on breathing easier:

1. Blow bubbles. Exhale steadily and strongly enough that you can hear bubbles streaming from your mouth and nose anytime your face is in the water.

2. Inhale like you sing. If you sing at all, even in the shower, you’re familiar with how you often have to grab a quick, sharp inhale between phrases. You don’t have time to fill your chest, so you just take a “quick bite” to get through the next phrase. That’s how you inhale between strokes. The exhale is strong, conscious, sustained. You hardly notice the inhale.

3. Follow your shoulder. If you’re breathing to your left, move your chin in synch with your left shoulder as that arm strokes. Your chin follows the shoulder back, then leads it forward again.

4. Hang your head. Focus on feeling a weightless head, resting on the water, as you follow your shoulder to breathe. Keep your “laser” aimed in the direction you’re going, as your mouth clears the surface.

5. Swim “taller.” With each stroke focus on using your hand to lengthen your body-line, rather than to push water back. Then give particular attention to lengthening with one hand as your chin follows the other shoulder back.
To learn more about breathing skills – in all strokes – check out our O2 in H2O DVD.

http://www.swimwellblog.com/archives/255

How Far Should You Swim? by Terry Laughlin

2010-02-05T09:51:00.000-08:00

Submitted by Mark Tefft
Triathletes and fitness swimmers often rely on swim workouts published on websites or in magazines. Virtually all of those workouts prescribe some arbitrary number and distance of repeats – like 10 x 50 – as if there’s a formula for improvement.

There is no formula: You improve at the rate your brain and nervous system can encode and memorize new skills or tasks. Swimming 500 yards (or even 10 x 50) with consistent efficiency and pace IS a skill, and a quite advanced one at that.

Therefore your lap regime should be organic, not arbitrary. To make it organic, base it on “mojo” rather than some formula. Keep swimming as long as you feel you are doing what you want to do. Stop as soon as you’re not.

I use “mojo” to refer to a feeling you’re striving for. The feeling could be as simple and general as ease. Or it could be slightly more specific– like “weightless legs.” Or it could be highly specific such as Feel your hand pause for a nanosecond on catch. (For more examples see How to Breathe Easier in which I suggested five focal points or sensations to improve breathing technique.)

For new or untrained swimmers, I usually recommend that they start a swim routine, or any set, with a single pool length — usually 25 yards. Pick a stroke thought – one thing you’d like to do really well the entire lap. When you reach the end, take 5 deep slow “cleansing” breaths – but keep thinking your stroke thought, because thinking it activates the same brain cells as doing it. Repeat.

Stay with one thought and one-length-at-a-time for 7 to 10 minutes. In fact, if you “lose your mojo” before the end of the pool, you don’t have to complete the length. Stop and take your breather anywhere. You’ll learn faster by progressing incrementally from 5 easy strokes to 7, then 9, etc, than doing 5 easy strokes followed by 15 barely-hanging-on strokes. And if you start to feel breathless, rest for more than 5 breaths.

When should you introduce your next mini-goal or focal point? The recommendation I make above for 7 to 10 minutes is a general guideline. Continue with the same thought so long as you feel you’re still improving your awareness or skill on that point. Introduce a new stroke thought when you feel the original one is as good as you can make it right this moment, or when you feel eager for new stimulus.

When should you increase the distance of your practice repeats? Step up to 2-length, or 50-yard, repeats when one length is consistently good and you feel no fatigue – physical or mental – when you complete it. Because 2 lengths is really 2 x 1 length with no rest, you could gradually decrease the number of “cleansing breaths” you take before pushing off again. When you can complete 5 to 8 successive lengths with consistent mojo, taking just 2 or 3 cleansing breaths between, you’re ready to step up to a continuous 50 yards. And when the 2nd length of your 50 matches the mojo and ease of your 1st length, you can add a 3rd.

Call this an organic rather than arbitrary way to increase your distance.

Happy laps!

http://www.swimwellblog.com/archives/260

Former Canadian Olympic Triathlon Coach, Barrie Shepley

2010-01-27T10:07:00.000-08:00

Attention Lonestar Multisport Club Members: You are invited to attend a seminar hosted by Houston Racing Triathlon Club this Saturday, January 30th from 9:00 – 12:00 at Memorial Park. Former Canadian Olympic Triathlon Coach, Barrie Shepley, will be giving a motivational talk and work out geared toward triathletes. Cost $10 for non HRTC members.

For more information, check out: http://www.canadianclubofhouston.org/events/bringing-the-olympic-spirit-to

Go the Extra Mile - Swimming Focus Event

2010-01-27T10:03:00.000-08:00

Go the Extra Mile - Swimming Focus Event brought to you by The Woodlands Master Swim Team & Swim Shops of the Southwest. Events will consist of a 400 meter freestyle & 1500 meter freestyle, beginning at 11:30 on February 27th.

Click on the following link for more information: http://www.asicampbell.com/x-mile/Meet_Info_X-Mile.pdf