Category Archives: motivation

first triathlon, Fitness, motivation, running, swimming, triathlon, Uncategorized

First time Tri tips in stereo. FTT on the Prepared idiot Podcast.

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Rich Barna from The Prepared Idiot Podcast had me on his podcast to discuss racing your first triathlon. Rich is a self proclaimed “Clydesdale Triathlete” himself, and got into triathlon to adopt a healthier lifestyle. In this episode we talk about getting started in triathlon, each leg of the race, and some motivation to get you going. There is some great info and tips to get you started to your goal of completing your first triathlon.

Play the show on itunes

Show Notes:

For swimming videos on proper form check out: http://totalimmersion.net/

USAT Rule Book  – Rules on setting up your transition, and racing

 

 

 

 

 

cycling, first triathlon, Fitness, motivation, running, swimming, triathlon, Uncategorized

“Oh Man This Hurts”, Keys to Racing Mental Toughness

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Tough as nails
TOUGH AS NAILS

Mental toughness is the ability to withstand discomfort with a focus on your goal.  All of the situations and struggles in life develop your mental strength. You are defined by how you react to different situations. In racing, the battles lies between your body and thoughts. When a race gets tough, the mind will always give in before the body. The challenge is to control your thoughts, and get your mind and body to work together to achieve your goals.

Preparation

The key to mental toughness is preparation. Training for your race will increase mental toughness. When you show up the the start line, you should be confident in your abilities. You confidence comes from adequate training, and preparation. That confidence kicks in when the race gets hard and you want to stop. If in training you have already had these feelings, you know you can push through.

 

  • Know your body – Be sure to notice the difference between this is uncomfortable, and this is injuring me.
  • Have a race day plan and execute – eliminate unnecessary decisions.
  • Simulate race intensity in training – not everyday
  • Have confidence. Accept that the race will be difficult, you are trained, and prepare to suffer a bit for your goal.

 

Be Present

When a race or workout gets hard, the brain wants you to stop. Your mind will play every trick it has to get you to stop or slow down. That little voice in your head will say “go ahead, just walk for awhile” or “Today is just not your day, slow down a bit”. Everyone has these thoughts, even elite athletes. When you can push through and not give into these thoughts, that is when breakthroughs happen.

To combat this voice, you need to be present and focus on the now. The mind may trick you into thinking you can’t run another mile, but it’s hard to convince you can’t run two more lamp posts. Focus on what you can do right at this moment to push you toward your goal. Accept the situation, adapt, and overcome. 

  • Focus on breathing and relaxing into the effort
  • Break the race up into small pieces – Run to the next lamp pole, Swim another 20 strokes.
  • Have a mantra – My mantra is “Relentless Forward Progress”
  • Be optimistic that things can get better. Example: You stomach may become upset during a long race. Know that it may hurt now, but with some additional nutrition and time, it can come back around.

Find Your Happy Place 

To pull yourself out a funk during your race, go to your happy place. I know this sounds a bit new age, but it works. When all of your focus is on the hurting, you need to shift your focus. Turning those negative thoughts, into a positive feeling is powerful. Those positive thoughts can get you into a rhythm and carry you through the difficult times in a race.

Try this: Force yourself to smile for the next two minutes. After the feeling silly for the first 30 secs, your mood will actually start to improve. You actions can impact your mood and attitude.

Here are some ways to find your happy place during a race:

  • Smile – It is also easier to breath while smiling
  • Encourage others – Your positive attitude will spread to others, and you will feel more positive in the process. Win-Win
  • Remove the word I can’t – Turn your mindset to thinking of what you can do , and not what you can’t
  • Think of the reasons why you are racing the event. Maybe you are racing in memory of a loved one, or to set an example for your kids. These powerful thoughts can push you through.
  • Absorb the energy of the race. Feel the energy from the crowd and other athletes. They are cheering for you because you are being awesome. They respect the training and effort your are putting forth. Soak it up.

I hope these suggestions help next time you are in the pain cave during a race. If you have any strategies that work for you, please share in the comments.

 
photo credit: bitzcelt via photopin cc

cycling, first triathlon, motivation, running, swimming, triathlon, Uncategorized

Racing Through Resistance – Finding a way to flow through

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Moving your body through a triathlon is a practice of pushing through resistance. Friction, wind, and will are forcing you to expend energy. You have two choices, fight against the resistance or find a way to flow through. Finding your flow through the resistance is mostly a matter of mindset. How you react and adapt to the resistance determines your success.

 

Swim Resistance

The average human swimmer is 12% efficient when swimming. Your average dolphin is 80% efficient. The dolphin has evolved to flow through the water. To move effectively through water, you must concentrate on good form that minimizes drag. If you fight against the water the water will win.

Tips for flowing through water:

  • relax
  • Keep the body in a streamlined position
  • focus on gliding through the water
  • reduce any inefficient movement

Bike Resistance –

On the bike the wind is the major force of resistance. Pushing through the wind gets exponentially more difficult the faster you go. Flowing through the wind means reducing drag, and flowing through the air flow.

Tips for flowing through the wind:

  • use a set of aero wheels, energy savings of 5-8%
  • wear an aero helmet, energy savings 5%
  • a properly set up TT bike with aero bars can save 10-15% energy
  • Keep your knees tight to the top tube
  • in a stiff headwind maintain effort, don’t increase effort and burn yourself out

Wind can also play into mental resistance. A persistent headwind will wear you down. At times you are putting out a ton of effort, but making slow progress. In these times, you have to accept the headwind and flow through. If it is a race the wind is effecting everyone. Make yourself as small as possible, conserve your effort.

Run Resistance –

Running is essentially falling forward. You lean forward move your legs and you propel forward. Gravity is providing the greatest amount resistance, but also it is also moving you forward. Your job is find the flow, where you are using gravity to your avantage.

Tips for flowing though gravity on the run:

  • lean forward from the ankles
  • maintain good body position
  • take quick steps, to minimize contact with the ground
  • minimize up and down movement, concentrate on moving forward
  • breathe, relax, and don’t fight against your body

 

Life  –

Good things happen, Bad things happen. There is constant resistance trying to keep you from achieving your goals. The trick is to find a way to flow through the resistance. You can either fight against the resistance, or accept it and find a way to flow through. Be flexible, and adapt to the changes and situations. Things good and bad will happen, it how you react is what matters. If you are focused on your goals, you will find a way to flow through.

first triathlon, Fitness, motivation, running, triathlon, Uncategorized

My First Triathlon with Bart Yasso

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bart-yasso

Bart Yasso is an icon in the running and endurance world. Yasso is the Chief Running Officer for Runner’s World, and has an awesome passion for adventure. Yasso has completed races on all seven continents, completed the Badwater 146 through Death Valley, completed Ironman five times, and rode across the USA twice unsupported.

Yasso is fantastic writer as well, I highly recommend his book, My Life on the run.

Below Bart generously shares experiences from his first triathlon. He has gone on to race and win many more triathlons, but just like everyone else, you start with your first race.

 

What was your first race? Location, Name, Year, Distance

My first tri was the Emmaus Triathlon, Eastern Pennsylvania in 1984, 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. One of the first half marathon distance races in the country.

What motivated you to try your first Triathlon?

The triathlon craze was taking off and I wanted to be part of it.

What was your athletic background?

I was a runner for many years so I just needed to add a few swims per week and some weekend bike rides to my training.

What was your biggest concern when starting out? How did you overcome it?

My only concern was my right shoulder during the swim. My right shoulder pops out of joint on occasion. It would not be fun if it happened during the swim. I was careful in the swim I stayed away from the mass start.

Were there any difficult/funny moments in that first race?

No I had a great race I finished 4th, When I see photos I laugh because most of us did all 3 disciplines in a Speedo.

What bike did you use? 

1984 Team Fuji
1984 Team Fuji

Team Fuji

Were you hooked after that first race?

Yes I was hooked right away.

What piece of advice you wish you had when you were starting out?

We didn’t have energy bars or gels back in 1984. I remember wishing I had some food on the bike. I was pretty darn hungry on that 13.1 mile run.

What was your feeling as you crossed the finish line?

I remember thinking I can win some of these races if I take this seriously. I won a bunch triathlons/biathlons back in the 80s. Overall and loved every minute of the race.

first triathlon, Fitness, motivation, running, triathlon

“You Can” – Overcome Reasons Not to Try a Triathlon

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Has completing a triathlon been in the back of your mind, but you haven’t signed up? Do you say, I’d love to do a triathlon one day? Let’s make one day today. There are always reasons to start something one day in the future. These reasons make us put off things we really want to do, until later becomes never.

Here are the top reasons I hear for not trying a triathlon, and some suggestions to deal with these issues:

“I can’t – Its too hard” – If you are in a general state of good health, you can train for and complete a triathlon. Its just takes a little knowledge, and some quality training. Choose a good training plan, that fits into your lifestyle, and will get to race day ready. What you should say is I can’t right now.

Training for a race will get difficult at times. There may be times when you really think you can’t. These are the times when you can dig deep and make a breakthrough. The more you struggle and persevere, the sweeter the reward.

“I’m not fit enough” – You may or may not be fit enough to finish a triathlon right now. That’s why proper training is so important to make sure you are fit enough. Athletes of all sizes and ages complete triathlons. If you wait until you are fit enough, it may never happen.

“I don’t have the time” –  Everyone is busy. You may not have the time right now with your current schedule. You have to make time for things you want to do, and will make a positive impact on your life. If you are really honest with yourself, you have more time than you think. There are 168 hours in a week. Can you spare 6-5 hours to train? You can get up an hour earlier, and fit in a run. You can swim at the YMCA during lunch twice a week. Pay yourself first with your time, and invest in your health and wellness.

Link: First Triathlon in under Four Hours a Week 

“I’ll embarrass myself” – When is the last time someone was challenging themselves to try new things to better their lifestyle, and you laughed in their face? I am going with never. Most people respect others who are trying to improve themselves with new exciting goals. Put yourself out there, and others will admire your courage to try new things.

Link: Fantastic Finish Fridays. Stories from new triathletes that overcame fears to finish their first triathlon.

“Triathlon is too expensive” – Triathlon can be an expensive sport, but you can get started for less than you think. Try out your first race with some borrowed equipment, and see how you like it. If you get hooked, then you can invest in better equipment.

Link: Getting started in Triathlon for less than $100

“I don’t have the equipment” – If you look in your garage right now, you probably have almost everything you need for your first race. You only need a bike, helmet, goggles, running shoes and something to wear. All of the other accessories like GPS watches, race belts, and compression sleeves, aren’t necessary. Keep it simple for your first race and have fun.

Link: First Race Esstenials

photo credit: natellev via photopin cc

Fitness, motivation, running, triathlon, Uncategorized

Secret Sauce to Massive Improvement

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Consistency

 

Consistency is the secret sauce of massive improvement. The accomplishment of large and rewarding goals are completed by steady work over time. If there is one strategy, that will continue to reap benefits, when all else fails,  it’s consistency. If you want to lose weight be consistent in your nutrition. If you want to go from an inactive person to an Ironman, you need to show up and workout consistently.

Consistency is not sexy. Your enthusiasm will ebb and flow. Putting on your running shoes and getting out the door, when all you want to do is marathon through “House of Cards”, is where the improvements are made. This is the power of showing up everyday, and doing what you do.

Here are some ideas to add more consistency, without becoming a hard-ass disciplinarian:

Have a plan – Choose your goal, and create a plan to get you there. Or even better have someone else with a little more knowledge create your plan. The plan needs to be clear, and written out. Start with a plan, that you are confident will get you to your goal.

Schedule your plan – Take out your calendar and schedule your workouts.  These workouts are now just like any other appointment in your calendar. If something pressing comes up, reschedule your appointment. The idea here is to take choice out of the equation. No need to decide what time to workout today, it is already decided. All you have to do is show up. 

Execute your workouts – This sounds like something the Terminator does. Again, the goal is to have less choices. Check your workout plan for the day, and get in done like a half man, half robot assassin. If it is an easy day, enjoy the scenery. If it is interval day, push until your gums hurt.

Don’t let perfect, be the enemy of great – I know you have heard this cliche before, but its so true. If you miss a workout, because circumstances out of your control (a child projectile vomiting, your boss’s unrealistic time lines, forgot your workout clothes), reschedule or let it go. Don’t let a missed or terrible workout here or there crush your dreams. Using this rule more than 15% of the time is an excuse, and not productive.

Achieving big, meaningful goals doesn’t happen over night. Keeping chipping away bit by bit, day by day.

How can you add more consistency to your workouts? What tricks do you use to keep yourself regressing?

 

Fitness, motivation, running, triathlon, Uncategorized

You Control the Effort, Not the Result

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I was a reading the “War of Art” by Steven Pressfiled, and a phrase really stuck out to me. It was, “You only have a right to the work, not the results or benefits.” I think this nicely relates to training and racing as well. To me, this means you control the effort and process, and not the results. So, enjoy and take satisfaction in the process, as that is where the joy should come from. You never know when the race day conditions will suck, or you get sick two days before your A race. If you are doing what you are meant to do, the results will come.

Let me give a recent example from my life. Last week, I raced a marathon. My training for the race was the best quality training, I have done for a marathon. I will confident in a PR. At mile 16 of the race, my legs had a different plan, and I finished 10 minutes slower than expected. It was not my day.

When I crossed the finish line, I was disappointed. How could I have training so well, and fallen short of my goal? Then, I thought back to the quote above. Training and racing endurance sports is my passion. I would not take back all of the training run with friends, or long runs that leave me feeling invincible. I put full effort into my plan, and i just came up short on race day. This is my purpose, and is not defined by the result.

I am not saying not to set goals. Goals are very important. The best way to succeed is to set a big goal, and work a plan backward to achieve it. Along the process of achieving that goal, find enjoyment in the work. If you succeed or fall short on race day, know you put in a full effort.

This is not an excuse either. If you didn’t put in a full effort you will know. That’s OK. Find out what resistance kept you from putting in your full effort, and overcome it next time. Rationalizing a bad performance with excuses is not acceptable.

What are your thoughts on this topic? How are you living your purpose, and enjoying the process?

first triathlon, Fitness, motivation, running, triathlon, Uncategorized

Your First Triathlon in Four Hours A Week

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Tv no

Have you seen people in a triathlon, and thought I would like to try that, but I don’t have the time? It seems everyone is increasingly busy, and time is a precious resource. An event that involves three different sports sounds like huge time commitment. What if you could complete your first triathlon, and change your lifestyle in two months using only four hours a week?

Most people can carve out four hours a week to do something they really want to do. The current Neilsen ratings say the average person watches four hours of TV a day, or 28 hours a week. Would you be willing give up one day of TV for a healthier lifestyle?

Now we got the excuses out of the way, lets get down to business. How can I be ready to race a Tri in the two months in only four hours, a week?

I suggest your first race be a sprint distance tri. Typical distances for a sprint are 500M swim (15 mins), 12 mile bike (35 mins), and a 5k (30 mins) run. Each leg of the race should take 30 minutes or less. We will use that 30 min time domain to structure the majority of your training. If you are already proficient in one of these sports, you can concentrate on the other two.

A typical week will look something like this:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Off

Run/30min

Bike/30 min

Run/30min

Off

Bike/

1 hour

Run/30 mins

Swim/ 30min

Swim/30 mins

As you can see there are seven workouts broken up over five days. The two rest days are important to let your body rest, and feel like you have a life outside exercise. The double workout on Wednesday and Sunday could be done back to back inside to maximize your time. You can do your 30 mins in the pool, then hop on a spin bike or the treadmill to finish up. The swim days are flexible throughout the week. The only restriction is to not run and bike on the same day. Save your legs!

Does this sound like something you can do? Don’t be intimidated by the amount of workouts. Each workout is short enough to fit in your daily schedule, and leave you feeling energized. Also, there is flexibility in the schedule. If you can’t get to the pool on Wednesday, just move it to Thursday.

In future posts, I will layout the structure of each work during the week. In the mean time, let’s get moving!

If you have specific questions, please leave them in the comments. I will be happy to help.

first triathlon, Fitness, motivation, running, triathlon, Uncategorized

Hack a Triathlon: Get started under $100

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Do you want to race a triathlon, but you are on a tight budget? There’s no doubt about it. Racing triathlons can get very expensive. Super light carbon fiber bikes, and high tech training tools add up quickly. You don’t have to be tech millionaire to get started. In this post, we will show you how to get started with the right equipment, without emptying your wallet.

swim goggles

Swim – $25

Swimming should be cheap right? All I should need is myself and a swim suit. You’re pretty close. You need a swimsuit and a pair of goggles. Women typically have a one piece suit they can wear. For men, I suggest training in trunks, but racing in your bike shorts.

A decent pair of goggles should cost around $25. Here’ a link to some Aqua Spheres for $20.

http://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Sphere-Kaiman-Regular-Transparent/dp/B000ENST92/ref=sr_1_11?s=boating-water-sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1394498127&sr=1-11&keywords=goggles

Mountain bike in garage

Bike – $65

A bike is the mostly costly piece of equipment for Triathlon. Triathlon bikes can get crazy expensive.  A full carbon race bike with aero wheels will easily take a couple months of your salary. I recommend using the bike you already have. If you have a geared bike of any type, that will be great for your first race. This includes mountain bikes, road bike, or a hybrid. I don’t recommend beach cruisers, as they don’t have hand brakes, and can be dangerous at speed.

What if I don’t have a bike? Ask someone to borrow one. Many people buy great bikes, and the bike sit in the garage unridden. After you tell them of your plan to race your first triathlon, they will be happy to help out.

Besides the bike, you need a couple more items. First, you need a helmet. Triathlon rules state you wear a helmet at all times when you are on a bike. If you are racing in warm conditions, you want a helmet with good ventilation. Here’s a link to a Giro helmet for $30.

http://www.amazon.com/Giro-Transfer-Sport-Helmet-White/dp/B0047VMK0G/ref=sr_1_5?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1394498745&sr=1-5&keywords=bike+helmet

Also, I recommend buying bicycle shorts. Bicycle shorts have padding in the seat, and make riding much more comfortable. Also you can wear them as your race bottoms for the whole event. Here’s a link to some Canari shorts, that will work nicely:

http://www.amazon.com/Canari-Cyclewear-Padded-Cycling-Medium/dp/B00018BQ7W/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1394499109&sr=1-3&keywords=bike+shorts

 

Hit the Road, Runner

 

Run – Maybe $50 or $0

Here’s where the cheap skates can rejoice. We’re going to assume you are still clothed from the bike leg, so all you need is a pair of running shoes. You probably already have some running shoes. If not, check some deal sites to get some really great deals on running shoes. If you are not sure  what running shoe is best for you, go to your local running store for a consult. They will happy to help you out, even if you don’t buy there right now.

Here’s some sites with great deals on running shoes:

Joe’s New Balance Outlet

Running Warehouse

Now go and scrounge up $100

There you have it. If you have a bike to use, and some running shoes sitting in the back of your closet, you can be training and racing for under $100. The expense of triathlon shouldn’t hold you back from trying something new and exciting. Once you get hooked on triathlon, then you will need that second job. Happy Training!

For tips on choosing your first race. Click Here