Your First Triathlon

Blog Layout

Your First Triathlon

Scott Proscia • Jun 24, 2021

Your First Triathlon

You have been training for quite some time now and it is your chance to express all of the fitness you have accumulated. As the date of your first race creeps forward you witness your anxiety level elevating exponentially. Questions start to flood your brain and hopefully this article will answer most of them for you. If you are traveling a long distance please refer to our Travel for Tri article for additional details.

Let’s start with the few days leading into the race. Gear and Nutrition are often the focus during this time.

Swim – Most training plans have you staying in the water so you won’t lose your feel for the water as close to the race as possible this often gets tricky if traveling for a race and a swim the day before or the morning you start travel to the race venue is often recommended. Hopefully you have swam in your wetsuit previously if not be sure to use it in the pool on this last swim and be sure to flush the suit inside and out to remove all chlorine.

Pack List

The Bike:

Mechanical issues seem to always pop up right before the race. A week or two prior to your race is a good time to see your local bike mechanic and get a tune up. Be sure to test ride your bike before packing it up for the race. I often encourage my athletes to learn to do basic bike maintenance themselves it seems the more you know about your bike the better if a mechanical mishap were to happen on course. You also want to switch

your bike over to race mode. For me this often mean removing the extra bottle cage holders from the frame of the bike and swapping over my race wheels, tires and latex tubes and packing my butyl race spare, CO2 and flat repair kit on the bike along with selecting my proper cassette for the terrain and putting on my race chain with quick link along with applying chain lube/wax of choice.

The two bottle cages I find are most aerodynamic are between the arms and behind the saddle (shown to the left).

Repair Kit Storage:

I store my tire repair kit stuffed under the saddle (tire levers, CO2, CO2 adapter, 1 Butyl Tube with Longest Valve extension needed). Shown to the left

The Run:

Biggest thing here is to not do too much. Trying out fresh and tapered legs is a mistake and as run workouts approach race day they actually negatively impact race performance. I often program runs to keep the neuromuscular system upregulated and quickly shut my athletes down in race week.

Nutrition:

Race Week

There is no magic here. Yes athletes have been successful in carbohydrate depletion and

supercompensation regimes but this is not something you just tryout and race week. NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY which can be extended to NOTHING NEW ON RACE WEEK. You may be traveling so be cognizant of food choices a couple days leading into the race. Should lightly salt all meals and make low fiber high carbohydrate selections from foods you normally eat. Do not over drink, you do not want to risk hyponatremia by flushing out all of your electrolytes thinking you are somehow going to become a camel and stockpile gallons of water for the race. Just drink to thirst and no more.

Race Morning

Nutrition:

An early wakeup call is in order. On race morning try to eat a meal 2-3 hrs prior to the race and top off the tank 10 minutes prior to the start with something that is easily digestible with an optimal osmolality ie Infinit Nutrition use “IREPINFINIT” for a discount at checkout. In particular, avoid the 30-60 min window prior to the event to take on calories. This can cause an unfavorable insulin response which leaves you lethargic at the race start. Good practice to have a bottle with you through the swim start I often find that having something to sip on that you can quickly discard has been preferred.

Transition Set Up:

You may have had to drop your bike off the night before. First thing I do is focus on the bike if something occurred while in transition we want to be able to have as much time as possible to resolve the issue. Check tire pressure and adjust for race day conditions. Usually dropping a few PSI for slick conditions is beneficial but stay within manufactures recommendations for your weight. Pull bike off the rack and run it through all the gears in the big and the small ring. Set the bike in your starting gear. If you race allows and you are going to be lock your shoes into the pedals you may want to rubber band them in the up position with enough tension that the rubber bands will break upon pedaling.

Re-rack your bike by the seat on the side where your race number is if indicated. Lay a towel down on the side of the rack where your front wheel is. Often you are right next to your front wheel under the wheel that is up of the bike in the opposing position on the other side. I always place my helmet on my handlebars with my Oakley sunglasses inside them. This way you can place them on and be strapped first thing to avoid a penalty and before you start bending down to stay efficient. If your cycling shoes are not on your pedals place them on the towel. Get your filled Infinit Nutrition bottles (use “IREPINFINIT” for a discount at checkout) on the bike and stow gel flask in bento box if needed. Depending on race rules you may need to wear a race number on the bike. If so attach it to your race belt and crumple it up so that it will lay flat and not flap in the wind while riding. I even put a strip of double sided tape on the backside to assist with this. Layout run gear. I put a sock unrolled the proper way in each shoe. Hat and race belt are to the side I can start running while putting those on and make my way out of transition. If using a fuel belt you will need to grab that as well.

Race-Time

Be sure to check the time of the swim start and your wave start time. If at all possible participate in the practice swim to warm up. You will want to don your wetsuit. Give yourself a solid 10 minutes to get this done. You will most likely have your trikit on Heartrate monitor on underneath this. (Cold races at full IRONMAN races with change tents I may have athletes swim in a swimsuit fully dry before putting on trisuit). Apply your lubricant of choice and any chamois cream to your areas of friction and shoulders / legs and neck. This is where those grocery store shopping bags come into play. Place your foot into the grocery bag and then slide that leg into the trisuit. This will allow you to quickly slide in. Repeat process for both legs and arms. Now spend a few minutes fully pulling it up high into the crotch and axillary region of the armpit. You should feel no restrictions when circumducting the arm in a mock swim stroke. Get the zipper up if your wetsuit leash has a little velcro tab you may tether that up near the neck of the swim suit for easy removal post swim. During the practice swim make note of landmarks in the distance and their correlation to the swim course. Also, note where the sun is rising, this may be a glare potential at race time. If a practice swim is not available swim cords are a good option and if not a short dynamic warm up in the grass or on the beach will do. Restroom breaks will take some time so be sure to go early and as often as needed and expect to wait in a line for a bit you do not want to miss your swim start time.

Remember the buoys are often directional unless they are a turn buoy or specifically stated in the rules. So you can often be on either side of them. Pay attention to currents and plan your start position accordingly so it pushes you where you want to end up. If a beach start dolphin diving is your quickest way to deep water where

you can swim. There will be some contact in the swim so be prepared for it. Nobody wants to be hitting you and nobody wants to be hit. Try to shake it off and roll with the punches the best you can. Don’t worry the washing machine will be over shortly and you will soon be strung out and hopefully you can find some nice feet o tow you around the course. Now if this for some reason is your first open water swim you may become disoriented as you will struggle with proprioception and kinesthetic awareness. It is perfectly fine to stop, go to your emergency stroke of choice and obtain a new bearing. You can also hang on to a support vessel as long as you do not make forward progress. The volunteers know this so they will make sure you don’t make any forward progress.

Transition 1:

As you prepare exit the swim you may want to increase your kick slightly. This will help redistribute blood from the upper extremity to the lower extremity. Swim until your hands start hitting the ground. When this occurs dolphin dive the remainder of the way. Be prepared for when you stand up that your legs are weak. I like to place my hands straight up and over my head to help get some blood down in my legs. Before you know it you will be running full speed to your bike. You will want to go to your bike don your Oakley sunglasses and strap your helmet. (race belt and shoes if needed) and head toward the bike out. There will be a mount line. So you can’t mount your bike before this line. Everyone thinks that they have to mount the bike right at that line. Don’t be that guy! I want you running up 20-30 yards pulling to the side and mounting your bike out of the congestion and away from everyone with their head down trying to get into their cycling shoes.

Bike:

Time to start pedaling. Hopefully you are saying “on your left” quite a bit. Biggest thing is staying safe in and out of the aid stations. My general approach to aid stations is to be vocal and make eye contact with the volunteer I want to help me. As I approach an aid station I discard my bottles I no longer need. My common routine is to point and make eye contact “ you you you water water water” get a bottle of water drink to thirst and drench myself with the rest of it to cool my body. “you you you XXXX what ever else I need” and before leaving “ you you you water water water” drink to thirst and discard prior to leaving the zone. If your race has a special needs station where you can pick up your emergency supplies or back up Infinit Nutrition bottles (use “IREPINFINIT” for a discount at checkout) you will want to yell your race number as you approach that area to help facilitate you getting your bag quickly. Some people will take feet out of their cycling shoes and pedal in on top of them so they can make a speedy dismount. Make sure to dismount your bike prior to the dismount line and re-rack your bike in transition.

It is important to remember the following rules:

Common violations – USA Triathlon lists the following most common violations for a complete list of rules visit:

https://www.teamusa.org/USATriathlon/About/Multisport/Competitive-Rules

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

Penalty: Disqualification

2. Chin Straps: Chin straps must be buckled at all times when on a bicycle. DO NOT unbuckle your chin strap unless you are off your bicycle.

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

3. Outside Assistance: No assistance other than that offered by race and medical officials may be used. Triathlons and duathlons are individual tests of fitness.

Penalty: Variable time penalty

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

Penalty: Variable time penalty

Rules Continued:

5. Drafting: Drafting-keep at least three bike lengths of clear space between you and the cyclist in front. If you move into the zone, you must pass within 15 seconds (NOTE: race organizer may have different draft zone lengths). Position--keep to the right hand side of the lane of travel unless passing. Blocking--riding on the left side of the lane without passing anyone and interfering with other cyclists attempting to pass. Overtaken--once

passed, you must immediately exit the draft zone from the rear, before attempting to pass again.

Penalty: Variable time penalty

6. Course: All competitors are required to follow the prescribed course and to stay within all coned lanes. Cutting the course is an obvious violation and going outside the course is a safety issue. Cyclists shall not cross a solid yellow center line for ANY reason. Cyclists must obey all applicable traffic laws at all times.

Penalty: Referee's discretion

7. Unsportsmanlike-Like Conduct: Foul, harsh, argumentative or abusive language or other unsportsmanlike conduct directed at race officials, USA Triathlon officials, volunteers, spectators or fellow athletes is forbidden.

Penalty: Disqualification

8. Headphones: Headphones, headsets, walkmans, ipods, mp3 players, or personal audio devices, etc. are not to be carried or worn at any time during the race.

Penalty: Variable time penalty

9. Race numbers: All athletes are required to wear race numbers at all times during the run. Numbers must face the front and be clearly visible at all times. Numbers may not be cut or folded or altered in any way. DO NOT transfer your number to any other athlete or take a number from an athlete that is not competing.

Penalty: Variable time penalty for missing or altered number, Disqualification and one year suspension from membership in USAT for transferring a number without race director permission.

10. Wetsuits: Each age group participant shall be permitted to wear a wetsuit without penalty in any event sanctioned by USA Triathlon up to and including a water temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water temperature is greater than 78 degrees but less than 84 degrees Fahrenheit, age group participants may wear a wetsuit at their own discretion, provided, however that participants who wears a wetsuit within such temperature range shall not be eligible for prizes or awards. Above 84 degrees, wetsuits are prohibited.

11. Abandonment: All personal equipment and belongings taken out onto the course must stay on the athlete the entire time. No garbage, clothing, etc. shall be thrown on the course.

Penalty: Variable time penalty

Transition 2

is often much faster than the swim to bike transition. You simply get on your socks and shoes grab everything else and start running. Remember to get your race number to the front.

The Run:

Cut all tangents on the course to make the course as short as possible. Never waste a downhill. This is free speed. Forward lean and get the legs turning over remember all the cadence work you do here take advantage of it. Be sure you do well with your nutrition and start listening to your body. If the check engine light is going to come on most likely it is going to happen here. Here is how to fix it.

Dashboard Items:

What to do if the Check Engine Light comes on!

Legs heavy and no power = Eat
HR high pace/power down = Drink
Sloshing stomach = take salt
HR low/pace low = eat
Stomach locked up and cramped = slow up, drink plain water and smile

Embrace the suck!

< Older Post

VIP Endurance Racing

4 Triggers That HALT an Endurance Athletes Progress

By Scott Proscia • 02 Jun, 2021

Most age group athletes work full time and have family lives that causes them to be spread very thin at times. The compounding rigors of their training and racing may cause excessive stress and distorted behavior patterns and even may cause the athlete to relapse in diet and or alcohol use. H-HUNGER This is not saying you aren’t going to be hungry. Everyone gets hungry after a 3 hour run. This is saying that if you skip a meal because you failed to plan or ran out of time this is going to be a trigger that can lead to a cascade of negative consequences later that day or the next. Setting up an evening ritual of preparation of meals for the following day can be a quick way to mitigate the mishap of missing or forgetting a meal A-ANGER We all get pissed off and sometimes rightfully so. Take some time and evaluate what actually is setting off your anger? Is it a stressful commute where you barely make it to work on time every morning? Do you get stuck behind the same school bus every other day. Can you avoid these situations? Can you change your morning routine to help? Would a 15 minute earlier wake up call lead to less stress throughout the day and give you 5 minutes alone at your desk to decompress before your first meeting of the day setting you up for success in the workplace? We can cover every possible trigger here but more than likely it is a scenario that we can avoid or take steps to improve. L-LONELINESS As humans we are very social creatures and rely on others more than we realize. Maybe you have a spouse that leaves you at home while they go on a business trip or you yourself has to go on a business trip. This loneliness can leave a person feeling very anxious and uneasy. This may cause the person to lash out and guilt their vacating spouse to gain their attention and is often very self serving. This could cause the person to grab a bottle of wine for their dinner after the workouts for the night. Loneliness is natural but noticing that it causes certain behaviors is the first step in dealing with a plan to reduce it. T-TIRED Are you a plain old crab apple when you get overtired? Do you lose discipline on your diet when you get overtired and don’t feel like making something? Do you grab a cocktail so you can just pass out? Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest problems we see with athletes. Sleep deprivation isn’t just a single night event. We develop a sleep debt that we need to repay over several nights to make up for it. Sleep deprivation sets us up for being in a metabolic state that not only impacts our recovery but also can have large consequences on our body composition. A person who is sleep deprived is often walking around insulin resistant sometimes at levels of a pre-diabetic. This means Insulin the transporter of the energy from the food we ingest can’t get the energy into the target cells and it gets stored as fat. Some quick tips for improving sleep hygiene would be: 1. No caffeine afternoon 2. Reduce screen time 1 hour prior to bed 3. Make room as dark as possible 4. Lower temperatures from daytime room temperatures in bedrooms 5. Don’t drink excessively prior to bedtime (water and especially alcohol). A personal analysis of what is HALT’ing your progress and triggering your negative behaviors is not only going to help assist with your performance in endurance sports but also your performance in life.

Nutrition the 4th Discipline

By Scott Proscia • 31 May, 2021

Intro to Nutrition: Imagine if you were in a big city traveling with a large group of people. You got to the subway station and realized only a small amount of you would fit on the subway car. You are left with two options: wait for the next subway car and continue to move your group over a longer period of time or use the bus that runs at street level and move some of your group to your destination at the same time on the bus. Even though the bus takes longer the synergistic effect of being able to trickle some of your group members to your destination via two transport systems is most efficient. Race day nutrition functions in a similar manner. An average size male athlete has absorptions rates between 30-90grams/hr during exercise. The upper end of this scale 90g can only be achieved with utilizing multiple delivery methods our bodies can utilize. We transport glucose and fructose via different transport systems. Knowing what is in your nutritional product is key and what you tolerate well is vital to your performance. Triathlon Fueling Options There are many triathlon fuel options available and an entire industry devoted to it. Glucose, fructose and maltodextrin are the primary ingredients that contain the calories of these fuel sources. The delivery methods come in powders that are mixed into liquids solutions, gel packets, bars, chewy candies etc… The delivery method to use is very individual. As intensity increases blood is shunted from the core of the body and shifted out to the working skeletal muscles. This slows the digestion process down significantly and may wreak havoc on a normally iron stomached person. With under-fueling the dreaded “bonk” or “hitting the wall” technically called hypoglycemia may show up stopping an athlete in their tracks whereas on the polar opposite end of the spectrum over fueling in a short duration may lock up the stomach and shutdown all forward progress and leave you lying on the side of the course in the fetal position contemplating jumping in front of traffic to end the misery. As the distance of your triathlon increases nutrition inevitably becomes more and more important. As any motor vehicle is limited by it’s efficiency and size of it’s gas tank the human body functions in a similar manner. We can store around 1hr-1.5 hrs worth of calories on board in the form of glycogen which we store in our skeletal muscles and liver. Practicing Nutrition for Half-Ironman and Ironman Distance Events In half Ironman and Ironman distance events developing and practicing a nutritional strategy is vital and should be implemented in to the specificity of the workouts during the build- up. The old cliché “Nothing new on Race day” is very fitting in regards to nutritional strategies, therefore rehearsal and fine tuning is imperative. Individuals usually tolerate liquids fairly well. If you can find out what you’re “A” race will have available on course it is a good idea to start utilizing that on your longer workouts, or have a strategy and set up that allows you to carry all you will need on board your bike of a liquid of you’re choice. A host of bike hydration options are available, often a simple behind the seat and between the aerobars set up is a good safe option. Practice with that bottle location to assure you can that it can be safely and effectively reached during the ride. On the run there are options to carry your own liquids as well through the use of fuel belts. Maltodextrin products such as CarboPro are tasteless and easily dissolvable in most liquids. There are also flavored options available @ INFINIT Nutrition (IREPINFINIT for 10% off at check off) Practice adding these at different amounts to deliver more calories during exercise to replace the calories burned and increase performance. Triathlon Fueling Options Continued Gels would be our next easiest product to process during an event. Some gels are mixed with sources of fuel that come from fructose and glucose. Also pay attention to your electrolyte needs, a “salty” sweater may benefit from a gel that contains more sodium in hot/humid conditions. You may also get some benefit from gels that contain caffeine as it is a proven performance enhancer. As food sources start to get more solid the processing time increases as some more complex digestion is required. Some may choose to experiment with more semi solid/solid food sources. While some do very well with these types of fuel, be cognizant of how easily these are eaten at race pace. The unwrapping and chewing process can be more difficult than one may think and leave people unsteady on a bike or choking on the run. A quick and easy starting point is to assign 2 calories per hour per pound of lean body weight. Example: 200lb @ 20% Bodyfat 200lbs x .20 = 40 lbs of fat 200lbs – 40lbs = 160 lbs of lean body mass 160lbs x 2 cals per lb per hour = 320 calories/hour In summary, KISS (Keep, It, Simple, Stupid). The less moving parts the better and the simpler your nutrition strategy the more likely you are to execute it perfectly. Sometimes Less is More and Nothing New on Race Day!!

How Not to Drown at Your First Triathlon

By Scott Proscia • 31 May, 2021

Most of our adult onset swimmers and even my experienced swimmers would be lying to you if they told you there wasn’t a little bit of anxiety prior to gun going off at the start of a triathlon. To start off on a very serious note athletes have died in the water during triathlon. I remember as an observer standing near the start of IRONMAN Louisville watching as the emergency crews loaded up a swimmer into the ambulance and seeing the lights and hearing the sirens as it pulled away from the Ohio River. When I did IRONMAN NYC in 2012, my wife had to experience a terrible tragedy waiting for me to exit the water. An athlete went down while in the water. Emergency personnel had gotten the victim in the boat and started resuscitation and they rushed toward the medical tents where medical doctors lined the shore waiting to take over. The rescue boat bottomed out prior to reaching the shore. The doctors helplessly had to watch as time seemed like it stopped. The on boat staff continued working on the lifeless body as the driver furiously worked to get the boat unstuck. That man died that day. IRONMAN has a 10 step SwimSmart Program to increase safety of an IRONMAN swim and we have expanded upon them here 1. Prepare for Race Conditions – The old Cliché nothing new on race day also goes for the swim. Our first open water swim should not be on race day. Athletes need to add the specificity of sighting into their training. Athletes also need to be prepared for contact. It is like a washing machine and knowing that it is not intentional and literally rolling with the punches is vital. A great way to simulate this is by swimming 3 wide to a lane during practice with some of your triathlon buddies. 2. Race in Shorter Events – short course racing can help prepare you for the duration and distance of a long course swim. If a venue hosts multiple events ie IRONMAN Chattanooga 70.3 and 140.6 getting some experience in the River prior to the full IRONMAN would be great. You could also look for Sprint or Olympic Options prior to this. A lake or reservoir swim is much different than an ocean or tidal river swim. Time on course or in similar water is a huge boost to preparation for Race Day. 3. Learn About the Course Details – having intimate knowledge of the course is vital. This isn’t just knowing how many buoys prior to the turn. This is also studying tide charts, knowing where the sun rises )ie IRONMAN Muncie after your second right hand turn you will be looking directly into the morning sun depending on your wave time), identifying landmarks and high points on land to sight off of (this could be a building, tall tree, clearing of trees, a boat etc…) know that there will be congestion at all turn buoys. If you are novice it may be a best practice to swing a little wide and stay out of the “washing machine”. Unless specifically noted all buoys that are not turn buoys are for guidance. You can be on either side of them. You may be wondering while all the hardcore swimmers are lining up 25 yards down the beach for the swim start. At Escape from Alcatraz you better not aim at the swim exit for your navigation landmark or you will be swept away for shark bait in the 55 degree water. 4. Ensure Heart Health – The American Heart Association has a 12-step process for competitive athletes. We utilize the American College of Sports Medicine Coronary Artery Disease Risk Factor Stratification to determine risk and if physician clearance is needed prior to starting an exercise program. There is also the standard Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire, which is imperative as well. As always it is recommended to get a regular physical with your primary physician and let them know you plan on engaging in the sport of triathlon. 5. Pay attention to warning signs – if it feels sketchy it is sketchy. If you have chest pain, tightness, discomfort, shortness of breath, or are lightheaded or “blacking out” while training you need to see your physician right away. 6. Don’t use New Gear on Race Day – NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY – you are in control of what equipment you use on race day. Race day should not be the first time you have donned your wet suit. New never used before goggles are guaranteed to leak. If the water temperatures and rules allow it and you plan on using booties or a hood you should have practiced with them. If you don’t normally wear ear plugs don’t wear them on race day this will distort your proprioception. 7. Warm Up on Race day – this starts with preparation. If you plan on wearing a wetsuit you should have ample time to properly get into the wetsuit. This takes at least 5-10 minutes and often requires a buddy to get into properly. If a practice swim is not available using swim cords on dry land or at least doing some cardiovascular efforts to increase the body temperature and heart rate is important. This can be a simple as jogging and push ups. 8. Check out the Course – prior to arriving at the race site study maps of the course. Attend the athlete briefing to assure there are no course changes. Match up the observable course to maps and instructions given from race personnel. Observing swim start and exits, will you be jumping off a dock? Is it a sand beach? Are there any rocks to avoid? 9. Start Easy – Relax and Breathe – Going all out off the line can not only be disastrous for your race but also jeopardize your safety especially if you lack experience. Staying relax and focused at a sustainable pace is key. 10. Be alert and Ask for Help – There will be contact be prepared for it. Don’t get mad it wasn’t intentional. If you recognize that you are going off course it is perfectly fine to go to your recovery stroke get a new bearing and continue on. Take breaks as needed and raise a hand to race personnel if you need assistance. Some races will even have assistance pads and you can use an static object to take a break on and not make forward progress to assure there is no outside assistance and is 100% within the rules.

Adult Onset Swimming

By Scott Proscia • 31 May, 2021

One of the biggest barriers into age group triathlon is the fear of the swim. This is also one of the reasons why completion of a triathlon is so rewarding for individuals. Now most athletes can swim but they have never taken a competitive stroke. So they can make it across the pool without drowning but initially even one or two lengths of the pool is exhausting. Some will quit right here. This is very natural response. Our body is telling us that this is an unsafe environment. Let’s break it down we are in a medium of water where we are horizontal, buoyant and floating, our hearing is disrupted, in open water we often can’t see even our hands in front of our face and we are face down somewhere we can only breath in a metered fashion. This foreign proprioception and kinesthetic awareness creates a fear inducing panic. It takes a while to shift our natural defense mechanisms over to gain comfort in the water. Below are 3 drills that will assist with gaining comfort in the water and develop sound swim mechanics: 1. Sink Downs – one of the biggest problems we see athletes suffer from is body position in the water. Instead of traveling through the water in a tight cylinder the feet sink lower than the torso creating a parachute effect making the swimmer struggle to gain propulsion forward. It is helpful to think of the body as a teeter-tooter pivoting at the center of mass. While lifting the head is a common problem, a bigger contributor is the athlete has pressure balance scenario created from the air-filled barrel of the chest. It is not enough just to tuck the chin a fist or tennis balls distance from the chest. The athlete must also be pushing down the torso into the water to elevate the feet and back of the teeter-totter. This becomes easier to do as air is expelled from the chest in a consistent fashion when the mouth is face down in the water. We get the added benefit of having all of our air out so when we go to sneak a breath during a breath cycle in the tiny window of opportunity in the trough of water we are only taking air in. So the drill is rather simple, the athlete gets into a medium depth of water goes under water and raises feet off of the bottom. Most athletes at this time will start to float near the surface of the water. The athlete starts a steady stream of bubbles out from the nose and mouth as this air is expelled they will naturally sink to the bottom. When you hit the bottom pop up and catch your breath. Rinse and repeat. Initially this may be 10-15 minutes of a beginners swim workout. 2. Kicking on Side – The best drill for developing proper posture and alignment is the side kicking drill. In this drill, the athlete is rotated 90 degrees to either side. They have one hand extended in front of them where each distal extremity component is lower than the previous joint. So elbow lower than shoulder, wrist lower than elbow and fingers lower than wrist. The shoulders are retracted and held together. This not only keeps the athlete in a small cylinder but allows them to spear through the water and stay taught in a perfect set up to initiate the catch portion of the stroke. Fins can be used initially to help the athlete propel across the pool. We recommend short fins that allow the athlete to have a more natural kick rate. Finis Zoomers would be an example. This is a drill that we use even with our elite athletes and should be a staple of a sound well-rounded swim program.

Proper Running Form

By Scott Proscia • 31 May, 2021

Heel Striking Now this isn’t entirely the athletes fault. From a very young age we are shod in this high heel to toe drop relationship shoes. This big cushy heel just screams land on me and sure enough we develop and ingrain that motor pattern. Heel striking isn’t just a product of landing on our heel but is also exacerbated by a stride length that is too long aka over-striding which will be our next category. Drill to combat Heel Striking – strides which can be done barefoot if terrain is safe for this. Sample workout: 10 minute warm up Z1 ++ 6 x 30 second strides with a 2 minute recovery Recovery protocol as follows: 1. walk the first third of the recovery back to start 2. choose- a drill of choice for the middle third Drills to focus on: (click on the workout for an example video) Butt kickers Ankling Pawing Lateral Shuffle/Carioca A Skips B Skips 3. walk the remaining third of recovery ++ 5 minute Cooldown

Intraworkout Nutrition Strategies

By Scott Proscia • 31 May, 2021

Fueling In and around the workout is the most important nutrition of the day and influences the workout they are in as well as future workouts and performance. What athletes don’t understand is that this also has a major influence on body composition. You aren’t just what you eat but when you eat it is also important. If you don’t want to know the “Why” skip to the bottom to the “How” section at the bottom. If athletes don’t have the ability to have a meal 2-3 hours prior to their scheduled workout session it is imperative that they get started fueling just prior to the start of the workout. This timing should happen within the last 10 minutes prior starting the workout. This can be as simple as 6-8 ounces fruit juice, a gel with water, or starting their intra-workout nutrition formula. An average size male athlete has absorptions rates between 30-90grams/hr during exercise. The upper end of this scale 90g can only be achieved with utilizing multiple delivery methods our bodies can utilize. We transport glucose and fructose via different transport systems. Knowing what is in your nutritional product is key and what you tolerate well is vital to your performance. Endurance Athlete Fueling Options There are many endurance fuel options available and an entire industry devoted to it. Glucose, fructose and maltodextrin are the primary ingredients that contain the calories of these fuel sources. The delivery methods come in powders that are mixed into liquids solutions, gel packets, bars, chewy candies etc… The delivery method to use is very individual. As intensity increases blood is shunted from the core of the body and shifted out to the working skeletal muscles. This slows the digestion process down significantly and may wreak havoc on a normally iron stomached person. With under-fueling the dreaded “bonk” or “hitting the wall” technically called hypoglycemia may show up stopping an athlete in their tracks whereas on the polar opposite end of the spectrum over fueling in a short duration may lock up the stomach and shutdown all forward progress and leave you lying on the side of the course in the fetal position contemplating jumping in front of traffic to end the misery. As the duration of your workout increases nutrition inevitably becomes more and more important. As any motor vehicle is limited by it’s efficiency and size of it’s gas tank the human body functions in a similar manner. We can store around 1hr-1.5 hrs worth of calories on board in the form of glycogen which we store in our skeletal muscles and liver. While we are working out and immediately post-workout we are very insulin sensitive and have the ability to not only shuttle nutrients we ingest almost directly into the liver and skeletal muscle but also supercompensate to a level that has an added benefit for future workouts. Glycogen debt is a phenomena where athletes progressively dig deeper and deeper into a state of having less and less in the tank. We find that this leads to cravings outside the optimal window of nutrient timing which may lead to some of this eating be excessive and/or at a time that the athlete especially if sleep deprived or stressed where they may be insulin resistant where they literally can’t get the nutrients into the target cells and stored as fat. In addition to the carbohydrate profile it is also important to have a electrolyte profile of your solution that still allows for an optimal osmoality to assure absorption without gastric distress. For carbohydrates a starting point for this would be to target at least 2 calories per lb of lean body mass. To do this calculation we need to also know that carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram. If the food source has fiber with it we net out the fiber prior to doing the calculation. So if a food source has 20 grams of carbohydrates and 5 grams of fiber we have a net 15 grams of carbohydrates which would be 60 calories. Example: 200lb @ 20% Bodyfat 200lbs x .20 = 40 lbs of fat 200lbs – 40lbs = 160 lbs of lean body mass 160lbs x 2 cals per lb per hour = 320 calories/hour 320 calories / hour / 4 cals per gram = 80 Grams It is obvious that the simpler form that these calories are in the more readily they will become bioavailable and be efficiently processed. For this a fluid solution is our top option. Secondly, a gel with water would be another option. Protein – while some athletes like to use protein during exercise as it gives them a bit of satiety we know that protein will also slow down the carbohydrate delivery. During the workout (especially races) and in the post workout recovery window solutions sans protein would be preferential. Yes so that post workout recovery protein shake should wait until we get a chance to get our carbohydrates replenished. Immediately post workout we want to shift our blend to a more fast acting carbohydrate solution to take advantage of the cells being insulin sensitive at this time and to refill the gas tank of the liver and skeletal muscle. If it is a morning workout we have a caffeinated blend which we can use for a pick me up and should help shuttle nutrients a bit faster. We don’t want any caffeine after noon for our athletes that have a classic work schedule which would affect there sleep. If this is an afternoon or evening workout we want to start fueling about 10 minutes prior to the exercise bout. 6-8 ounces of orange juice for example is not only good for the liver but will get some fructose in the mix. Follow this by starting your Intraworkout and continue through the entire workout.

The 3 P's to Bike Performance

By Scott Proscia • 31 May, 2021

The IRONMAN Bike is the longest discipline on race day. Performance here is critical for race day success. 3 P’s to Bike Performance Practiced - perform what you practiced in training. Use nutrition and gear that you are accustomed to Patience- a proper taper will leave you with the freshest legs you have ever had. Holding back early will pay its dividends on the run. Remember if you bikes to easy you have 26.2 miles to prove it. There is no such thing as a great bike with a poor run. Persistence - sticking to the race plan. Don’t let the excitement of the big day intrude your preparation. Perpetual forward progress is the name of the game.

IRONMAN Transition Do's and Don'ts

31 May, 2021

IRONMAN Transitions Do’s and Dont's Do – give yourself ample time to become well acquainted with the flow of the transition area prior to the race. Start from the swim exit and visualize your route through your gear bags, into the change tent and to your bike rack. Think of what you will be doing while you walk the transition area for rehearsal. These mental reps pay their dividends on race day. Don’t – wait until the last minute to drop off your bike and or gear backs the day prior to the event or arrive in transition right before it closes on race morning. First thing to do is focus on the bike if something occurred while in transition we want to be able to have as much time as possible to ameliorate the issue. *Check tire pressure and adjust for race day conditions. Usually dropping a few PSI for slick conditions is beneficial but stay within manufactures recommendations for your weight. While bike tech and other individuals will have bike pumps, bringing your own to top off the tires is a great way to save some time. If you are taking advantage of the rolling resistance properties of latex tubes note that they will lose air overnight so don’t count on them to be inflated to the same level when you racked the bike the day prior. * Pull bike off the rack and run it through all the gears in the big and the small ring. Set the bike in your starting gear. Do – Check your gear bags on race morning – the location will often change slightly from where you left it the day prior as volunteers sort, straighten and organize the bags. You want to quickly check that the contents have not been tampered with and that everything is there and any fresh race nutrition is stowed appropriately. If raining tie the bag up tightly and fold it over to avoid wet running gear in T2. We want to at least start dry. Don’t – be in a rush! Smooth is fast and fast is smooth. We should be practicing our transition and using the gear we will be running at the race prior to the big day. Nothing new on race day! Do – Buckle your helmet. Don’t be that guy who’s race is ended because they made a silly mistake. Every time the helmet goes on your head it should be strapped immediately. Get in this habit now.