2010 Events

I'm still deciding on which events to do, but here are the one's I'm looking at.  Some are huge events, others are smaller.  If any reader has done any of these, please let me know which ones are nicer.  I'm planning on doing 5-7 events.  It depends on schedules and baby demands, of course.

The following events:

June 5th 2010 - Harrisburg PA (2 Hrs)
http://multisportmaniacs.org/id1.html

June 5th Luray VA
http://www.setupevents.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=event_detail&eventID=1490

Jun 12 Hampton VA
http://www.setupevents.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=event_detail&eventID=1450

June 26 - Philadelphia
http://www.phillytri.com/eventinfo/sprint

July 3 Buffalo Triathlon
http://score-this.com/atriinbuff/atriinthebuff.html

July 10 Colonial Beach, va
http://www.ymcaracing.com/Colonial_Beach_Tri_s.html

AUG 7 Mayo Lake Triathlon
http://fsseries.com/index.php?action=event&event_id=43

September 2009
Crystal Beach Triathlon (VA) (target for my Wife's first Tri back from Pregnancy)

September 12 National Triathlon - Relay (Swim - me, Bike - Father-in-Law, run - wife)

October - Osprey Triathlon (MD)


Thanks for reading.

New Logo and snow training photo.

As you can tell from the header, my wife and I have a new logo, complete with pregnant person :)  It'll change once a newborn enters the family, but we thought it would be neat to have something.  I designed the logo using PowerPoint.  We're thinking about opening up a free CafePress store with some triathlon graphics and witty sayings for those competitors with children.  If we do we'll put up a link.

My wife and I live in the DC Metro area, and due to all the snow, our training has been restricted to a walk around the block.  Of course, I've gotten a pretty good workout shoveling snow.  But my wife has been hard at work on the bike.  Here's some evidence:

Thanks for reading!

Training for Two (while pregnant)

Contestant #2 here. As a preface, I will disclose that I've had a relatively easy (knock on wood) pregnancy that has allowed me to stay active. Please consult your medical team before undertaking any fitness routine during pregnancy.

I've always been an extremely active and fit person, so when I found out we were expecting, I knew I'd have to adjust both my expectations and my actual fitness routine. Pre-pregnancy I was working out 5-6 days per week, but I've reduced that to 3-4 days per week, depending on how I feel. My goal for my pregnancy has been to stay active and do what I can for as long as I can, adjusting my regimen as I've gotten bigger.

When we competed in our first triathlon last summer, I was pregnant at the time and I didn't know it. The major upside is that I had the spent the summer getting into some of the best shape of my life, which has clearly served me well during my pregnancy.

In the first trimester, fortunately I avoided the dreaded morning sickeness, but I faced extreme fatigue - like I had hit a brick wall, particularly at night. I tend to be a morning exerciser anyway, which was great because I found myself low in energy at the end of a work day. During this time, I continued with my normal workout schedule as best I could, but I immediately began to cut back my intensity and the number of days I worked out. In addition, I began to monitor my heart rate more closely so that I didn't over-exert myself. Most websites and books tell you to stay around 140 beats a minute. In the beginning I found that to be a challenge since I was used to pushing myself in my workouts.

From a triathlon perspective, I opted to not participate in anymore races, mainly because I was a bit uneasy about being on the bike. Don't get me wrong, I've read about women participating in races while pregnant, so it can be done, but that's a personal decision. However, swimming and running caused no problems.

Once my second trimester came around, my energy returned. I felt really good during this time. Of course I also had an ever expanding belly. Over Thanksgiving, when I was around 20 weeks, I worked out with a trainer who is certified in prenatal fitness. She gave me a great weight lifting routine that is easily modifiable as you get bigger. I still wanted to weight lift 2 days a week in order to keep my strength and bone density up. I stopped running and started walking instead, mostly because I began to feel pressure from the extra weight. I am also quite fortunate in that the instructor of the sports conditioning class I take was willing to work with me and find alternatives so I can still attend class. The biggest thing I had to modify starting this trimester was my ab work. Instead of doing full sit ups and planks, I adopted a modified style for both.

Now I'm just into my third trimester. The best thing about triathlon training is that it introduced me to distance swimming, which is a great prenatal exercise. Believe me, as I write I'm 29 weeks along and a half hour of buoyancy goes a long way! I truly appreciate how easy it is on the body, but still yields a satisfying workout. I'm also still walking, using the arc machine, riding the stationary bike, and lifting weights. I'm hoping to take some pre-natal yoga classes soon that will help me with labor.

The reality of being pregnant is that your body lets you know, very early on, that change is necessary. I think this is a blessing for those women who can't fathom taking off more than 1 day a week from their fitness routine. It forces you to listen, very closely, to what your body is telling you. And once our baby is born, this will serve me well as I recover.

The Uber Single Sport Athlete vs. The Triathlete

I work in a very large office building with a world-class gym.  Unlike a lot of gyms, this workout place is frequented by very fit people and very few workout beginners.   Watching people pushing 6 minute miles on the treadmill for an hour, or bench-pressing 400 lbs or doing 1000 sit-ups with a 15 lb medicine ball does not help me focus on training.  I don't feel intimidated, but I feel like do feel like a weakling sometimes.

I do think there is a silver lining however, as triathletes (even recreational ones), I think we all have one up on most of these uber-fit individuals.  I notice that 99% of these fanatical lifters, runners, or aerobics lovers definitely do not train in the other tri-sports.  That makes me feel pretty good.

All triathletes go outside their comfort zones every week in practice and racing whether it's in a sport we're not the best at or challenging ourselves at long distances (for all you Iron-people and Iron-people in training).  I have found this mindset absent athletes who just do just running races, swimming, or cycling.  The more I participate in "triathletism" the more I believe that triathletes don't take comfort zones for granted.

Thanks for reading.

Mental Running Block and More Cool Tri-Tech

Week Two of training is going fine, working mostly on cross-training (rowing) and running, last week it was running and biking. My wife (the poster of the previous blog on Cross-training) will post on pregnancy and training this week.  I might start swimming, but the cold weather blocks my swimming mindset.

As readers will find out I (the husband of the two of Tris), really have trouble enjoying the run portion of the triathlon and loathe it during training.  It's a mental thing, I'm sure, but maybe some reader can help me out on this.  What am I supposed to be thinking about when I'm running to pass time on a treadmill...I don't listen to an iPod since it's not allowed on most races.  I find getting to 20-30 minutes completely agonizing, it's marginally better if I run outside.  I have a lot of room for improvement.

On to the Tech:

(Used with Permission of Yankz!)

Yankz! TriathlonBAGs:  I asked for one of these last year, and it is the best all-around tri-bag I've found period.  They are designed to stand up for easy access at the transition.  I got the Apollo Size ($70.00), which I liked because of it's got every feature I need in a compact size.   My wife liked the design so much she wanted one of her own! They come in four styles , the other models are Zeus ($150) and T2 ($120) both of these models offer more features than the Apollo (like separate wetbag and laptop case).  These were equally cool, but I like to minimize my stuff at the transition to cut down on time and confusion.   The traditional ($95) is their original design.   Definitely check these out, make sure you click on the picture of the bags to get the 360 view!

Speedo Vanquisher Goggle:  I became a fan of these goggles last season.  For swimming these mirrored smoke-colored goggles keep out the sun and did very well in the cloudier races as well.  The seal is great and the adjustment is all that a swimmer needs.  My indoor swimming goggles are the Speedo Sprint, which I have used for over 20 years.  I like the clear variety in the Sprints because it offers the best field of vision, and the foam eye seal is soft on the sockets.  Both varieties have silicone straps.

The Benefits of Cross-Training

As a caveat, I (the previously named contestant #2) am not a certified personal trainer. But, over the course of my athletic career I have seen tremendous benefit and improved athletic performance from cross-training my body.

With regards to triathlon, cross-training does not simply mean focusing solely on the three disciplines of swim, bike, and run. Yes, that is technically a form of cross-training and it is obviously necessary to train all three legs in order to complete a race. However, the exercises that you engage in outside of these three will likely result in improved flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, and overall performance.

Cardiovascular Work

I'm not going to talk much about any cardio training because I find I get enough cardio work from my training. The only thing I will say is that interval work, for all three tri disciplines, does help with speed and endurance.

Improving Muscular Strength

Even during race season, I regularly take a sports conditioning class that usually involves weight lifting and weight lift at least one additional day per week. Personally I find weight lifting really helps me in my tri training. The sports conditioning classes I take at The Energy Gym in Arlington are great because it truly is a full body workout - we use everything from our own body weight to resistance bands to medicine balls to kettlebells to body bars. The class focuses on strength, endurance, cardiovascular fitness, and plyometrics. At the end of an hour, we are all usually pretty exhausted (but in a good way). The great thing about this class and others like it is that you notice improvements relatively quickly if you go on a regular basis.

CrossFit is the newest and greatest form of cross-training that works your cardio fitness while improving strength and endurance. The exercise routines are extremely challenging, but I promise you will get into great shape by doing them. To learn more, go here to Crossfit.com.

Improving Flexibility

Now that we're all getting stronger, it's important to not lose flexibility in your muscles. I am a fan of yoga and I find it helps keep my muscles limber during the training season. Now I know not everyone likes yoga, but some sort of stretching routine is important during your training and will contribute to overall muscular health. Tight muscles that cramp, strain or pull easily do not serve anyone well on race day.

I want to focus for a moment on one particular piece of equipment - resistance bands. As a former collegiate swimmer, contestant #1 introduced me to some resistance bands exercises that target shoulder strength and flexibility. Doing three sets of a few simple exercises will help keep your shoulder muscles flexible during the rigors of training and most importantly, serve as a way to prevent injuries.

Core Strength

Never to be neglected, the core is the epicenter of athletic performance. Strong abdominal and back muscles are not only going to help you in your tri training, but they're extremely important in every day life. Be sure to work your abs and back equally so there's a balance of strength. I particularly like full sit-ups with a medicine ball - you hold the ball over your head and then sit all the way up and touch ball to the ground. For my back, I like Supermans - lie on your stomach and lift your arms and legs at the same time. You'll feel the burn. You can also alternate your left and right side. Of course a great exercise that works your abs and back at the same time is the plank - either resting on your hands or forearms with your body straight and on your toes. Be sure to not shoot the moon and keep your butt down.

Recovery

I take at least one day off per week, sometimes two. I need to let me body recover and I can tell when my muscles are fatigued. I know some gym rats hate the thought of a day off, but I've had numerous trainers tell me that recovery can play a crucial role in overall athletic performance. The worst thing to do is overtrain your body heading into a race.

Finding the right Competition

As an aspiring sprint/olympic triathlete, I am very particular about where and when I'll do a triathlon.  My first triathlon was the Mayo Lake Sprint and I trained from May to August 2009.   Honestly, it was more like an X-Terra race, and an interesting first foray into multi-sport challenges. It was fun, but not your typical sprint triathlon (if there is such thing as a "typical sprint").  My follow-on events were in September and October, both very flat courses and in salt water.  For Mayo Lake,  I didn't do much homework above reviewing some websites and reading previous race feedback to find this race.  As a result, I've thought about what are my top five things I look for in an event:

1. Day of the Week: I am a BIG fan of Saturday triathlons.  Summer traffic tends to be less, if you're returning home, and you have a full day to recover.  I know, what you're thinking is, "why does a puny sprint triathlon require a day of rest?"  Well...um, I'm not sure it does, but it sure does feel nice to have a day off before returning to work.  There are quite a few races on a Saturday in the Middle Atlantic region, you'll see that after I post my schedule for the year...which is coming soon.


2. Type of Competitors:  Every sport has their lazies and their crazies.  I look for events that have a share of both.  I plan to do some events that are very family friendly that embrace the fun aspects of competition, and I also plan on trying some races that will challenge my ability not finish last in my age group.  Who doesn't love watching that 30 or 40 something  stud(ette) who has the $10K bike and crazy get-up finish with the same time as someone just starting out from their couch at home?  A diverse group of competitors make racing much more fun!

3. Course Type: Some folks like flat courses and some like monster hills.  Some like the calm fresh lake waters and others like the choppiness of the inlet.  My first race at Mayo Lake last year was, as I mentioned earlier, was a bit more challenging with a 15 mile hilly bike and a 5K full trail run.  Had I known more detail (above what the website said), I would have trained differently, since I'm still new to the bike and run.    It was only the 2nd year for the race, but the race grew from 50 participants in 2008 to over ~300 in 2009.   I chose the race, in part, to participate in something less crowded and more with more beginners, however, there were a lot of more skilled triathletes than in my last two of the season (apparently the NC X-Terra championships were the week after Mayo Lake, so we had a bunch of folks testing their skills).  I still had fun (and will probably do it again this year), but knowing what to expect is half the battle especially when your starting out.  I mean, most people wouldn't start out with a SavageMan if they knew they were aiming for something like the Nation's Tri.  Right now in my triathlete career, I'm leaning towards flat to slightly hilly courses for both the bike and run.  As for the swim, freshwater is nicer, in my opinion, since it doesn't involve ocean water, but I'll take an ocean/bay swim if it's slightly choppy or calm.


4. Location:  This is a no brainer and common sense right?  Well, on the East Coast some people are willing to go to the ends of the earth, packing their bags and heading out for 6-8 hours in a car for a one weekend.  I personally aim for a 2-4 hour drive time, which puts me anywhere from NJ to NC.  After a race, whether you're staying the night or not, it'll give you the rest on the day to get home, minimizing uncomfortable post-race car time.

5. Accommodations:  I like to go to events with better hotel accommodations.  I didn't say expensive ones, just "better".  We all know that triathlons can take place in very austere locations, far from places with lodging and food places above one AAA diamond, I try to avoid those races mainly because I try and will try to make mini-vacations out of race weekends wherever possible.  I guess I like being able to sleep in a comfortable bed, not a campground, and eat well, instead of eating fast/convenience food, for 48 hours.

Thanks for reading.

Let me know what you think.