How Strong is your base ?

Strong and steady training will help you go the distance when it comes to IRONMAN racing.

by Charisa Wernick

Most triathletes have now left the off-season behind and are well on their way to building a base for the new season—if they haven't already begun racing. Building a solid base for endurance is necessary no matter the distance raced whether it be a 5150 or an IRONMAN. Have you ever noticed athletes that fade horribly toward the end of their race? It is possible that the athlete went out too hard, but it is more probable that they had not built up a solid base leading into the season.

Here are a few keys to building a solid base for your triathlon season.

1. Consistency

The ability to string together multiple weeks and months of consistent training yields better results at the races. Training the body to adapt to months of training means that, come race day, the body is used to the stresses from training. This type of "old hat" stress translates into solid race results.

2. Low intensity training

Base training often consists of a phrase athletes and coaches like to call putting in the time. This means long distances in the pool, long (sometimes easier) rides and running miles for the legs. Dirk Aschmoneit, past IRONMAN New Zealand champion and Director of Field Marketing at Powerbar, says that base training, especially for IRONMAN, is predominantly about optimizing your performance around 2 mmol of lactic acid. "What is interesting to observe is that most beginner to intermediate athletes spend most of their time training around 4 mmol, a lactic acid level that is better suited for shorter distances," he says.

If you were to take a stress test (or lactate threshold test), 4 mmol is the point where lactate increases so much that the level of effort cannot be sustained. Many triathletes believe that in order to get faster , they must train at this higher intensity. This is true, but to a much more limited extent, especially when training for IRONMAN. In order to race an IRONMAN fast, training at the 2 mmol level should be the primary focus.

For example, a triathlete may begin the season running a half marathon in a specific time with their heart rate at 165 beats per minute (bpm). After several months of base training, the same distance can be run in the same amount of time, but with a heart rate 10 beats lower. Becoming more efficient and using less effort is a direct result of base training, and is an important aspect of racing IRONMAN well.

3. Building back into training slowly

Base building provides a platform for ramping up training at a slow and safe rate, which helps decrease the likelihood of injury and burnout. Especially if you are training for a longer event, it takes time to ramp up to peak shape; during the base building portion of training you are slowly teaching the body to go longer and harder.

4. Remember to rest

Just because base training doesn't always include large amounts of intensity, keep in mind that rest is still an important aspect of training. It is during the rest and recovery portion of training that the body repairs muscle and builds itself up stronger so that the next time you head out you will be able to go longer or harder.

5. Fuel smart

For longer, lower-intensity workouts, the body is able to pull energy from fat stores more than from glycogen, where higher intensity workouts get their fuel. Thus, base training can be a great time to lose a few pounds. Rather than fueling a long base ride with gels, start the morning off with some oatmeal which provides sustained energy and will allow you to keep the gels at a minimum during the ride.

No matter what distance you plan to race this season, make sure you're starting off with a solid base before you build into the intensity phase of your training. This approach will safeguard you against injury, keep you healthy, and help your race times come down in the process. 

Originally from: http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/news/articles/2014/04/ironman-101-how-strong-is-your-base.aspx#ixzz2zXsVDMHg

Inspire and Admire

These are both words that describe what motivates me in the triathlon sport.  I know that I have been very fortunate to have a flexible work schedule and good health that allow me to train, and I am very aware of others that may have to work harder to get the same amount of training in.

You all inspire me.  

I know that many people in my triathlon community have obstacles, sometimes daily obstacles, that you have to deal with just to get a bit of training time in.  From the triathletes who have overcome cancer, physical disabilities, and chronic injuries, to those who have significant life stressors at home, I can only imagine what you need to say to yourself as you pack (yet another) bag for your training that day.    Those who coach, are race directors, race volunteers, or volunteer your time on boards and committees, your patience and dedication are not only appreciated, but necessary.  It's not something that I'm strong at, but I know that without you, there are no races for triathletes to participate in.  The words "thank-you" are not enough. The dedication you have to the sport is inspirational.

There are also many people that I admire.  When I see a new swimmer in the pool, or a new runner getting their first mile in, inside my head I hear "good on ya."  First, because my coach is Australian :) but mostly because I know how much it takes for that first step.  When I see fellow athletes set new goals and achieve them, I admire their determination and perseverance.  It doesn't matter if the goal is to complete their first sprint, or qualify for worlds, they are your goals and you did it!  I also admire the people at the bike shops.  With your knowledge about equipment, you are the go-to people when questions come up.

As the weather warms up and race season starts, I will meet many more triathletes, both old and new.  The triathlon community is one that genuinely supports one another, and each one of us has something to contribute.  I would encourage everyone to think of the people around them, their own triathlon community, and draw from their strengths.  Yes, you cross the line as an individual, but getting there is much more fun and meaningful when you have a triathlon community that you admire and inspires you to even try.

What is Race Ready?

Race Ready is a modified indoor triathlon that gets people ready during the off season.  For those of us who live in colder climates, this usually means at the end of winter just before we are able to start training outside again.  In Winnipeg, we have Wanda to thank for these.  As a dedicated swim coach and triathlete, she organizes these events to get them ready for the upcoming race season.  This is what you can expect from a Race Ready.

You need to be organized.  Your tri-bag has to be packed just as you would for a real race.  We start early (0500h yesterday) and swim the distances for the event you have registered for.  I was registered for the full Iron so swam 4000m.  There is everything from a tri-a-tri to full Iron, and it is really meant for all levels of experience.  Your time is recorded, as is your T1 time.  The bike is done on a trainer and is based on time.  We all do the same (4 hours for the full).  The run is done on an indoor track, or outside if it's nice enough.  It was just a 5 mile run, but you still get the experience of T2, and running after a long bike.  Again, the whole point is to get you ready for the race.  

There are volunteers who will bring around nutrition, but for me, I really try to be as self-sufficient as possible.  I won't have people bringing me gels and portables on the race course.  It's great for newbies to triathlon, as something like this gets you familiar with what you will need on race day.  Overall, I encourage people to attend Race Ready events, or organize one of your own.  

I thought I would try some recipes from this book and bring them with me on my next Race Ready event.  I made enough for others to try as well.  With the exception of one person (I didn't know anyone could not like berries!) they received favourable reviews.  I made two different types of rice squares - one with chocolate chips and blueberries, and the other with raspberries and mint.  I still don't have the portion size and wrapping down yet, but I'm sure that will come.  Each portion was approximately 175 calories, and had the carbs needed to keep going.  A tasty alternative to all those gels!

Swimming with dolphins

Or rather the dolphins were swimming with us.  And I'm not talking about a tourist attraction either.

I was out for a swim with the local group of swimmers here in Kona.  We were about a mile out and I when I looked up to check my distance, I saw dolphins jumping through the water.  We all stopped and watched them as they went out a bit further.  We swam out to them and watched as they swam beside us and under us.  They were jumping over the waves and making lots of noise.  When I put my head under the water, you could actually hear them talking to each other.  There were about 50 or so out there, including many younger ones who stayed close to their moms.  What a great way to spend my last swim out here in Hawaii.

Just another benefit of being a triathlete.

First, a huge thank you to the Hawaii Cycling Club for putting on the Century Ride.  It was a fundraiser for Hospice Kona and had three distances to choose from.  I did a 62 mile ride with some great people and some challenging hill work.  If you're ever in Kona, check out their website.  They have some great cycling routes mapped out for you.  http://www.hawaiicyclingclub.com

The following day, I had a long run scheduled, and I wanted to head out the Natural Energy Lab.  Watching the Ironman race on television doesn't do it justice.  The hills seem never ending at times, but the view at the turn around point is stunning.  As my friends Robyn and Eric said a few days before on their run, they have a new respect for the triathletes that run the Ironman course.  I couldn't agree more.

All good things must eventually come to an end.  In a few days, I will be back in Winnipeg and swimming in the pool.  I hear that the snow is slowly melting and that a few people are starting to bike outside again.  That's definitely something positive to look forward to.

Training tips if you ever find yourself in Kona, Hawaii.

There is a great group of people/local triathletes that swim in the ocean every Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays.  They swim the Ironman swim course, and have various distances for each day.  They start at 8am, and even if you don't know anybody, I would encourage you to show up at the Ironman swim start and meet some great local triathletes.  If you're shy, it's still good to come out even if it's just to feel more comfortable swimming with a pack.  This same group allowed me to go out with them on a bike ride yesterday, and I know I was on some hills that I would have had a hard time finding myself.  Mahalo!

Every triathlete needs a support crew.  My family is mine.  Even on holidays, they understand the need for my training.  I have the Fargo Full Marathon in May, the Liberty (long course) in June, and Ironman Canada in July.  With these races coming up in summer, I can't really take too much time off right now.  Luckily, Kona is the perfect place to train.  The ocean has buoys with distance markers, the roads have designated bike lanes, and you can't go more than 100 meters without seeing people running or walking.  It's almost as if this city was made for triathlon training :)

  

My bike is on a holiday.
On a holiday in Kona, Hawaii - home of Ironman World's.
Lucky bike.
Of course you can always rent bikes while on holidays, but I generally choose to bring my own.  I have friends who are also here but they can't get on their bikes for a full 4 days after they have arrived, so I'm pretty excited to have my bike with me.
A tip about transporting a bike.  I have a bike box (www.bikeboxalan.co.uk) that my wife got me as a gift one year. If anyone is looking for a good gift for a triathlete, check this out!  Some airlines will charge you extra for sporting equipment, but West Jet Airlines just charged me as an extra bag.  In other words, it cost me a whole extra $20 to bring my bike (one way).  They didn't charge me extra for the weight, but I don't think it would have been too much anyway.
I headed to Bike Works to get them to fill up my tires and give it a quick tune up before I rode my bike.  It felt like I was a kid in a candy store!  They are great people there and know their stuff.  A great find.
I just took my bike for a quick 60 minute ride from one end of Ali'i drive and back, mostly because it was the middle of the afternoon and I was pretty hot.  Tomorrow is another day.