How to Get Faster on the Run

How to Get Faster on the Run with Coach Jim

As the triathlon season begins to wind down (if it really started at all this year!), it’s natural for us to turn our attention to making improvements for the next season. And since we didn’t get to race much (if at all) this season, we might find ourselves putting more energy and excitement into preparing for the 2021 season. If you are looking at making improvements as a runner this fall, here are 10 tips to help you get started.

“Don’t get injured. Don’t get sick.” Words of wisdom from Craig “Crowie” Alexander when he came to visit Playtri Dallas in 2019. I share this regularly with my athletes in emails and during our weekly phone calls. You can’t improve your run, if you can’t run because of injury or illness.

Improve your posture. Unless you spend most of your day standing and walking, you likely have postural issues related to sitting for long periods of time. Before each run, do a dynamic warm-up that preps your body to run tall. When you run imagine that you are a marionette puppet who has strings attached to your body. Your hips should be above your feet when you land, your upper body should be aligned with your hips, and your head should be stacked neatly above your shoulders. 

Run with wheels. Most age-group triathletes have weak, shortened hip flexors from sitting for most of the day for work. Thus, we swing our legs back and forth instead of lifting our knees with our hip flexors. Visualize your legs moving in a circular wheel-like motion instead of swinging back and forth.

Increase your cadence. As your ground contact time increases, your injury rate increases. Work with a metronome or listen to music to slowly increase your cadence over time. The gold standard for cadence is 180+ steps per minute, but even a 5% increase in your cadence will help decrease your chance of injury and help you run faster.

Run more. By running more, you will increase your fitness and you will become a more efficient runner. But increase your mileage gradually. Running is a high impact sport so any increase in mileage also increases your chance of injury.

Spend more time on the swim and/or bike. This may seem contradictory to the previous one, but hear me out. If there is a large difference between your standalone running time and your triathlon running time, then you likely need to improve your swim and/or bike fitness, economy, and skill so that you’re not as tired when you exit T2. Focusing on improving your swim and/or bike will help you to be fresher for the run.

Make the hard days hard and the easy days easy. Too many triathletes train in the grey area where the easy days are too hard and the hard days are not hard enough. If you have an aerobic run on your training schedule, then make sure it stays aerobic. If you have a tempo run or track work on your schedule, then really commit to the harder speed work portions and savor the easy recovery portions.

Include weekly Brick Work. Do endurance focused bike rides followed by short 10-15 minute runs and short, 30 minute bike rides with longer, endurance runs. As your “A” race gets closer, make your brick work more race specific by adjusting your intensity and length of workout, terrain, weather conditions, and fueling to match your race as much as possible.

Strengthen your core. Core strength has a direct impact on all three triathlon disciplines, because your core is the source for all your strength and power in athletic endeavors. If your core is not strong enough, you cannot maintain proper form, pace, or power for long. Improving your core strength means strong and resilient hips, glutes, and deep core muscles (like obliques) that will help you in all three disciplines.

If you do nothing else as a result of this article, at least do these two things: start strengthening your core AND start improving your posture.

I hope you found this useful and don’t hesitate to ask for clarifications by reaching out to me at jim.rowe@playtri.com.

Kind regards,

Coach Jim Rowe

Playtri Level 2 Coach

UESCA Certified Triathlon Coach

TRX Certified Coach

Benefits of THE SHORT COURSE training & racing

After several years of doing long course, I realized that my speed (aka: tolerance for sucking it up) was sinking, dramatically.

It has been said, IRONMAN does NOT make you FAST... in fact, it will beat the crap out of you over time: mentally, physically, & metabolically...

And so my response was to kick the distance to the curb and put myself in the speed arena (short course: Sprint & Olympic distance racing).

For those who haven't truly raced at short course in awhile: it is humbling, daunting, and it hurts like all-get-out at times. 

BUT, it is also stimulating, refreshing in a sort of twisted way, and it TEACHES you so much about the sport and racing.

Here are just a few things I learned about training for short course.

TRAINING FOR SHORT COURSE

As expected, the number of training hours were definitely reduced.  BUT, the sessions were easy when they were scheduled as easy, and very hard when I was suppose to go hard.  There wasn't a lot of wasted time just 'kinda' pushing the pace.  That is probably one of the biggest issues I have with clients and also at times I find myself defaulting to as an athlete.  We honestly think we are going hard when in all actuality, we might be uncomfortable out on a long ride with some threshold intervals during distance training. But guess what... in the big picture, that isn't eyeballs popping out of our head, lungs about to explode, that short course demands.  As painful as that sounds, the short course workouts are just that - short - so you know in the back of your head you can grit and grind your way through it!

Short course allows athletes to see improvements on a consistent basis.  With long course, there are many sessions that are more vague and the benchmark may simply be about more time hitting the pavement.  With short course, you can almost see athletes check off and push new limits on a weekly basis. Improvements come with the mental, physical, and metabolic stimulation. 

When an athlete talks about burn out or not being motivated, I always think, "When was the last session that they felt like a little kid?"  Not using metrics as a boundary but rather only later as a review, and just letting their body fly freely... I compare it to when you used to race your bike down the street against your friends.... remember, it was so fun to go fast!

When the build is done correctly and there are adequate recovery sessions or days between the harder efforts of short course, you most definitely see progress and motivation!

Another aspect of short training is less time training so more time for LIFE & balance.  With the growing number of "couch to long distance" triathletes, the idea of triathlon as a lifestyle is being missed.  Whether it be time, energy or money, long course takes a significant amount away from our daily life and commitments. 

Many sessions, I might have felt like my lungs and legs were going to implode at times IN the workouts, they didn't steal my entire day, nor do they take away from other many aspects of my life. I like to explain it like this- You could literally race almost every weekend, be done before noon, meet the family for brunch, check off some "honey-do's" (aka: chores), play with the kids, and grill up some dinner... that is a full day, but a balanced day.

I found in short course this awesome balance and it agreed with my philosophy as a coach, "We are all athletes of LIFE... health, fitness, training, it is all built around the idea of making you more available FOR life.

Triathlon and training are a part of a bigger picture. I love and want to help establish plans that allow athletes to create lives that are consistent and congruent to their goals, both in and out of sport!"

These are simply a few aspects of the joys of training from short course.

Next time, I will point out the significant differences between short course and long distance triathlon swimming.

Till next time, train with a smile~

IS THERE REALLY A "RIGHT" WAY TO RUN?

DR. KIMBERLY DAVIS RUNLAB™

THE MYTH: There is a "right" way and a "wrong" way to run.

THE REALITY: There are a LOT of right and wrong ways to run, it depends on your structure, range-of-motion, strengths, limiters, injury history, and goals. Seem like a lot to consider?!? It is! Read on....

There are more runners hitting the trails than ever and that, unfortunately, means more injuries. Some studies estimate that upwards of 90% of runners will end up injured in any given year. Given the fact that millions upon millions of dollars have been spent on shoe design over the last 50 years, why are injury rates still the same, or even higher, than they ever were?

The answer? It's not about the shoe. Consider the following recent case study from our clinic: A new mom, we'll call her Kristie, takes up running as a way to add exercise into her life. She is excited about running because it's convenient, she can run with her baby in a jogger, and it'll help her lose that added baby weight.

She even thinks she might like to train for a 1/2 marathon or a triathlon at some point so she joins a social run group geared toward moms. She goes to her local running store, gets fit for shoes, is told she's a "pronator" and is put in shoes meant to control that extra movement in the foot. She starts running 3xs per week on a run/walk program and reaches 15 miles/week before she begins to have pain in her knees. She doesn't think she is "injured" per se, but figures she should get it checked out anyway and makes a visit to her general practitioner. Her doctor recommends she take a break from running until the pain is gone.

She is frustrated but takes two weeks off anyway. She begins running again and within two weeks has that same pain start up. She revisits her local store, where they recommend inserts and perhaps a different shoe. She tries the inserts first and sees very little change so she returns to the shoe wall two weeks later. They help her pick something a bit more neutral, with the advice that she also use the inserts due to that pesky overpronation problem. She is excited to get back on track and starts running again with her social group, but the following week, guess what? Same knee issues. One of her running friends tells her that she read people need to run with a 180 cadence and that she should be landing on her midfoot. Kristie has no idea what that means so she does some research and starts trying to run this way. She feels like she is running in a fairly unnatural way and also quite out of breath, but the knee feels a little better! Progress?!

But...wait for it, the knee pain returns two weeks in and NOW she also has calf pain. She returns to her running store, gets put in another pair of shoes and decides in frustration to just run through it if the pain returns, which it does immediately. She keeps running until things hurt enough that she decides that maybe running isn't for her. She is now hundreds of dollars and several months into running and is worse off than when she started.

She does a bunch more research online and finds RunLab™. In a last ditch effort to see if we can help, she calls us. She lives in Dallas so we send her over to one of our Gait Imaging Centers™ inside of Playtri. She sets up her account online, pays, fills out her forms so our team understands her history and goals, and then sets up a time to get filmed at the Gait Imaging Center™. The Playtri staff takes care of her entire filming process and guides her through from start to finish.

The patent-pending process includes both running and full-body movement pattern analysis through advanced video-capture technology, along with a full body structural, range-of-motion, and strength assessment.

Once all of Kristie's videos have been uploaded and reviewed by our team, we go through her findings and send her a full-color 14 page report which breaks down everything she needs to know about the way she moves, where her strengths and limiters are, and a Footwear Prescription™.

What does she learn about her running and her knee pain? She learns that onset of her pain stemmed from a structural finding (slight knock knees) combined with extreme hip weakness due to recently giving birth. She was highly unstable during the loading phase of gait and it was putting undue stress on her knees. The onset of her pain was based in didn't have anything to do with the shoe she was in. In fact, the shoes meant to control motion were actually making the issue worse because they were not allowing her foot to move through the normal pronation cycle, which moved stress up into her knees. The second and third pair of shoes were not increasing load, but they also weren't solving the underlying issue.

With some gait retraining exercises and strength work specific to her structural and functional limiters, Kristie got back on track, has been running consistently for a full year and just completed her first 1/2 marathon with her daughter in a baby jogger. The take-home message? The right shoes will aid your body's ability to move naturally and as efficiently as it can in its current state, but no amount of shoe technology can solve for a weakness in the body.

There is a lot of misinformation out there about running form. People are constantly coming into RunLab™ to tell us about their struggles to "fix" their heel strike, to run with higher cadence, to get their "glutes to fire", to "stop overpronating", etc, etc. But the problem lies in the fact that these runners have very little understanding of how THEIR body is built. There are thousands of variables that go into a person's ideal movement pattern.

Changing the way you move isn't necessarily taking away the load, it just means you are moving it around to another area which can be more, or sometimes less, equipped to handle that load. This is where a movement analysis comes into play. It is important not only to understand the way you are built, your current range-of-motion, strengths and limiters, but also the way your body has adapted to move through them.

Our brains are amazing at creating workarounds for even the slightest weakness, and when we layer compensation pattern over compensation pattern (even as non-runners) for years, there is a lot that goes into unraveling the ball of biomechanical yarn strand by strand.

Creating increased range-of-motion in one area, for instance, can create stability problems, causing another area to develop compensatory hypertonicity. So what is the take-home message? If you don't understand your unique structure, range-of-motion, strengths and limiters, it is very easy to get pulled down the rabbit hole by the mountain of information from articles, under-qualified coaches, wearable technology, and your running friends who "read somewhere that you should run with your feet facing forward". Understanding your body should be the springboard to any good training plan.

And remember, shoes matter, but there isn't a shoe in the world that can replace working on your biomechanics.

Learn more about Dr. Davis at: https://runlabaustin.com/team/

For gait evaluation services and to schedule at a DFW area Playtri, please visit WWW.RUNLAB.US

Running Tips from Coach Chuck

Running Tips to Get You Started:

·      If you are a beginner, don’t worry about how many miles to run, begin by running for time, not distance. 

·      When you decide to start running, purchase a good pair of running shoes designed for your arch and stride type. If you're not sure which type of shoe you need, visit a Playtri Store to get fitted properly. Good socks are as important as good shoes. Look for socks that are seam-free, and ones that manage moisture so you won't get blisters.  You can get those at Playtri too!

·      Before you start a run, you need a good warm-up routine, which includes dynamic stretching to get the blood flowing. Leave the static stretching for the post-run routine. Dynamic stretching includes walking lunges, butt kicks, high knees and toy soldiers—straight-leg kicks that stretch the hamstrings. Dynamic stretching will increase your flexibility and help prevent injuries by strengthening your muscles and joints. After doing some dynamic stretching, walk briskly for five minutes, then speed up to a comfortable jogging or running pace.  Check out Playtri TV for examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48-xuaY9RxA

·      When you finish your first run, don't stop suddenly. Instead, walk for another five minutes to cool down gradually.  

·      Recovering after a run is one of the most important aspects of training. Running makes your legs strong, toned and, unfortunately, tight. Stretching not only increases flexibility but can also be a vital way to avoid injury. Stretch your major muscle groups with focus on the quadriceps, hamstrings, IT band, upper and lower back, groin and hip flexors. Slowly ease your way into each stretch and hold it for 30 to 45 seconds.  

·      Running can also deplete the body's muscle glycogen stores, which is the primary fuel source for running. Replenishing muscle glycogen after a run within 30 minutes is important, and can be as easy as drinking chocolate milk, which is full of carbohydrates and contains protein. 

·      Beginning runners that want total body strength should include core workouts in their routine. Core work can also be done on days you do not run. You can have a great core workout without going to a gym or needing any equipment. Focus on body-weight exercises such as push-ups, plank and abs exercises, back extensions, and body weight squats.  

Running form is unique to the individual, but can be improved upon. Some general form tips:

-       Run tall without a pronounced forward lean

-       Don't look at your shoes as you run; look toward the horizon

-       You can run faster by increasing your stride turnover, not by overreaching with each stride

-       On uphills, shorten your stride, and drive more with your arms. Try to maintain an even effort, not pace

-       When running downhill, let gravity work for you by leaning slightly forward

At Playtri we can provide run form analysis, shoe fitting, coaching, and group training.  Stop by a Playtri location or contact Chuck at selcuk@playtri.com for questions or to get started.

Strategy for 2020 Training

There have been 100’s of articles written this spring/ summer on

“How to maintain motivation when races are canceled.”

FYI- My article is absolutely not one of those.

Reality, you will not be able to ‘regroup’ without acknowledging that, without the traditional triathlon season, we miss out on the momentum of training, learning our bodies, seeing transformations… the energizing process feels lost this year.

You cannot get around or pretend otherwise.

Now that you have admitted your loss and frustration…

WHAT DO YOU DO NOW?!?

You get back up on the horse. 

Here is an approach that I have implemented with some of my athletes to maintain a balance between continuing the hard work & play.

IDENTIFY YOUR WEEKLY PURPOSE

Like it or not, human beings thrive on direction and progression.

So with that truth in mind, 5x/week I have specific workouts built on primarily one of the three disciplines (swim, bike, or run), with the intention of creating a ‘complete/ balanced triathlete’.  In short, we have the time right now to focus on both endurance and hard efforts.

ENGAGE IN PLAY TIME

At least 1x/week, I encourage my athletes to take a mental break from the organized training and structure. Leave the gadgets at home: find a different sport or activity, join a small group ride or run, find new trails, rent a stand up paddle board, hit the weight room, try out stretching or yoga home videos….

It doesn’t matter what you choose.

This day should feel like recess- just move and have fun doing it!

TAKE A PAUSE

1x/week, I highly encourage athletes to take a day off completely.

When I say off, I mean completely shut it down.

EVERYTHING triathlon related, turn it off.

Training, articles, social media, videos…. PAUSE IT FOR THE DAY!

Whether you like it or not, you will have ‘weak’ moments where the ‘why am I training’ or ‘what am I doing this for, will seep in. Take the 24 hours to pause and allow both your mind and body to recover and gear back up for the coming week’s purpose and play!

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

Example: Athlete A, 12week Bike Focus

Monday

20min Swim Bands + 45min Bike Strength Hill Repeats

Tuesday

Bike HIM/IM efforts + 2x1mile Brick Run

Wednesday

20min Swim Bands + Bike & Run Drills/Skills + Prehab

Thursday

Bike Tempo/ Speed (bi-weekly Zwift race) + 30min Brick Run

Friday

20min Swim Bands + Bike HIM/IM efforts

Saturday

“Fly Birdie Fly!” RECESS TIME

Sunday

OFF

It’s not the most glamorous statement, but as my grandmother would say,

“Get up, Drop the Whining, & Make Something Happen.”

Use this time, be smart in your schedules, have fun,

and learn the importance of balance!

If you have any questions, always feel free to email: Amari@playtri.com

Why I Love My Bike

Why I Love My Bike

I fell in love with my bike all over again this summer. With all the uncertainty of this year around racing, at times it has been a challenge to stay motivated to train. But when my oldest child, after years of attempting, learned how to ride her bike in late May and then was riding her bike every day, I saw my bike sitting on my indoor trainer with fresh eyes. 

I ride a 2019 Felt IA10, size 56, with Ultegra Di2 shifting and Garmin Vector Pedals.

~Coach Jim

 Thanks to my wonderful colleagues at Playtri, I ride a 2019 Felt IA10, size 56, with Ultegra Di2 shifting and Garmin Vector Pedals. It is a sweet bike and was certainly an upgrade over my previous tri bike. I have been riding this bike for about a year now and it is a joy to ride. The bike fits me well, shifting is smooth and accurate, and I ride with more power and confidence on this bike than I did on my previous one. I was surprised how smooth the road felt and how stable it was in cross winds, when I first rode it out on the wind-swept, chip-sealed roads of Denton County where I live.

Still, much of my training since getting this bike has been on the trainer as I rack up miles on Zwift (join me on Monday nights at 7:30 pm!) before my kids wake up in the morning or after they go to sleep at night. But when my oldest child learned how to ride AND fell in love with her one-speed bike, I realized how much I was missing not being out on the road, feeling the road vibrations through the bike and the wind in my face. Since then, I’ve been out on my bike more than usual. Although trainer rides continue to be excellent tools for interval training, they don’t stack up to nice long rides on quiet roads. After spending more time riding on the road, here are five reasons why I love my bike again.

 1) 52/36 mid-compact crankset. In the past I have rode both compact (50/34) and standard (53/39) cranks, and the 52/36 crankset with an 11-28 cassette in the back offers a wide range of gear ratios for the long, steady climbs that I get to ride when visiting family in western South Dakota and powering through headwinds in Denton County.

2) Storage. With much of my ride time indoors, I forgot how nice the storage capacity is on this bike. With the integrated CALpac 2.0 on the top tube and BTSpac storage device behind the seat tube, there is more than enough space for nutrition for a multi-hour ride and a flat repair kit. Both are conveniently hidden from the wind, unlike my previous bike which required me to attach a bento box and seat bag. 

3) Bottle bosses. Call me old fashioned, but I like being able to put two water bottles on my bike without having to attach anything between my arms or behind my seat. This is a personal preference. But when I get the chance to upgrade to a Felt IA with disc brakes, I’ll gladly attach hydration between my arms because Felt IA bikes are some of the best Tri bike around!

4) Effortless Acceleration. When you first see all that carbon fiber, this bike looks like it will accelerate like a narcoleptic sloth. But the acceleration is beautifully effortless. Felt IA bikes are light and stiff, so it doesn’t take much to get up to speed and then you can cruise comfortably either on the flats or  spin up a climb. 

5) Escapism. Riding hard and fast and sweating under the Texas sun has provided a sort of escape from the challenges of this current time. Even if my ride is only one hour long, it offers an opportunity to not think about all the stuff that is happening in the world these days.

Find a bike that works for you at Playtri.com/onlinestore

The 411 on Race Wheels ~ What You Need to Know

Ahmed Zaher

Need some cycling speed for your upcoming race?   Race Wheels provide a great opportunity to gain some speed fast.  Let us help you find the right wheels for your race.

How do you determine the right race wheel for you? In general, carbon race wheels provide more comfort as they absorb the vibration of the road so that you are able to hold your power longer and have a better run.  The deeper the rim of the wheel, the more aerodynamic you are.  With that said, you have to take into consideration windy conditions, especially cross winds, because the deeper the rim of the wheel, the more wind affects control of the bike.  Cross winds create instability for the bike so you have to engage your core to stabilize the bike and need better bike handling skills.  

Here are our top three recommended wheel combinations.  *Remember that these are general rules so if you fall under multiple wheel sets or aren't sure what is right for you, stop by a Playtri store near you, hit us up on social media or email us at info@playtri.com.  We can help you decide the right wheel set for you based on your cycling skills, your goals and your race course! 

Zipp 404 Front / Zipp 404 Rear

• Average Speed 16 mph and under

• Weighs under 140 pounds

• Novice Bike Handling Skills

Zipp 404 Front / Zipp 808 Rear

• Average Speed 16 - 20 mph

• Weighs 140 - 180 pounds

• Intermediate Bike Handling Skills

Zipp 808 Front / Zipp 808 Rear

• Average Speed 20 mph and over

• Weighs 180 pounds and over

• Excellent Bike Handling Skills

Watch the video to learn more about Race Wheels on Playtri TV: The 4-1-1 on Race Wheels Video

Buy the Right Set of Race Wheels for you at Playtri today!

Mental Readiness

Most of the world is coming out of a trying time. We are emerging from Covid-19 quarantine, confronting the reality of racial injustice, and attempting to find a new normal. Life has required a new level of mental toughness for many of us, and I hope we will all emerge a little stronger. I hope, also, that we can begin to look forward to the racing season this Fall. It looks a bit different from any race season we have seen, but it is a race season nonetheless. Most of us missed any opportunity for a “rust buster” race this spring. When the races start, they are going to be big and full of energy!

Given this unusual situation, we need to be especially careful with our mental preparation for these races. I like my preparation to cover three categories: controllables, confidence, and execution. To be race ready I need to make sure I have every single controllable dialed in. These are a small number of things you have complete control over, so I like to take that control and own it. I am going to stay away from the physical side of the controllables here, and only focus on the mental controllables. The first is to have a race plan for your execution and nutrition strategies.

For your race execution plan, consider the current forecast, water temperature, and start time. The current forecast might be different from what you assumed, so stay current on the race day conditions. Once you are certain of the weather, decide what you will wear. Do not give yourself race day options. Make a plan that is the best for you, considering the conditions. Additionally, use the weather forecast to dial in your nutrition plan for race day. The heat and humidity can alter your fluid and calorie consumption, so be ready! Also, both of these are drastically affected by your start time. If you have to wait an hour after transition closes, you need to be prepared with fluid, calories, and clothes for that amount of time. You want to have a written out plan starting with dinner the night before all the way through your post-race recovery including sleep, food, fuel for the race, hydration, wake up time, pump up jams, stretching routine, pre-race warm-up, your Instagram posts - literally everything! You want to have zero thought required on race day. You should be able to go into autopilot and go through the motions. Save all of your mental energy for the race itself.

Confidence is a huge part of mental readiness. It allows you to execute the plan you created. Many mistakes are made when athletes do not believe in their ability to finish strong. They tend to try and “bank time” early in the race. This is a mistake 99% of the time. Have the confidence in yourself to execute, and trust your plan. To help with this I always take thirty minutes the night before a race and review my training log. I look back at key sessions to give me confidence that I can execute the race plan I created. I also create a few mantras for the day or specific parts of the day to help me stay on track.

The last area is the execution. So, you have the controllables locked in. You have a race day plan, a nutrition plan, and you are confident in your ability to perform. Then the gun goes off. As Mike Tyson says, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. I like to run a bunch of scenarios through before the race, but it never unfolds like any of them. So, you need to take all of the plans and be ready to adapt them to whatever happens on race day. Be mentally prepared to react. If you keep your plan in mind, you can control your reactions and keep your actions within the confines of your plan, even if it is not perfect. This controlled reaction allows you to stay on track to hit your goals.

In order to be race-ready you need to do the physical work. You need to have your equipment dialed in and 100% ready to go. You also need to have your mind dialed in. You need to have a plan, be confident, and be ready to execute your plan as close as possible, given the dynamic of the race as it unfolds. The last thing to include in your plan is to smile and have fun! After all, that is why we are all out there.

Jesse Vondracek 

Top 5 Tips for IRONMAN 70.3 Lubbock

IT IS HERE...

Lubbock is one of the South's most iconic IRONMAN 70.3 races!

There is nothing like the grass roots feel and race experience here in Texas. Conditions have gone from 105° degrees + 30mph winds in 2018; all the way to nice 80° degrees + light winds at 2019's finish line.

You never know what Lubbock will bring you.

Here are my Top 5 reminders to help you get ready to have your best race day!

1-    It can be hot, very hot! Conditions have been known to be 100° degrees. There are a number of ways to try and keep your body temperature down. Consider the color and material of your tri apparel. Drink often rather than all at once; a good rule of thumb is to drink every 12-15min. If you are using electrolytes, make sure you know how much water you need with the ‘dosage’. A great way to externally cool down is by spraying water / throwing ice down your tri suit. 

2-    The winds of Texas are no joke! Lubbock winds can be ridiculously brutal and may feel like even feel like a hairdryer out there. Make sure you practice at least 1x in your tri apparel and gear. This ensures that you are comfortable on your bike/wheels in windy conditions and that your hydration, electrolytes, and nutrition are easily accessible. Even though you might have the best looking wheels around and your tri suit looks slick: if your water bottles, electrolytes, and fuel are not efficiently placed, you will most likely struggle through the run. Also, remember to relax the upper body as much as possible on the bike to reduce wasted energy, and lastly, use people around you on the run to ‘block’ the winds.

3- Check Out The Swim Course & Drive the course! If the buoys are set up the day before, take the opportunity to ‘spot’ landmarks and know the surroundings on the swim course. Also, drive the bike/run course. This gives you a better sense of what to expect and some ‘real-time insight’ on how you might want to tackle the climbs, road conditions (potholes, cracks, etc), and know your aid stations. This will help you properly time your nutrition strategy.

4- Create Solutions! Before the gun even goes off, know that there will likely be a ‘wrench thrown into you race’. Just a couple of solutions to think about- take 2 pair of goggles. It can be very cloudy or extremely bright; plan for both. At transition have a small water bottle and a few extra calories. Knowing how to fix the flat will help keep you calm and efficient if this should occur.

5- Smile! Research has shown us over and over the power of positivity and how even while pushing our limits, smiling lowers your heart rate, relaxes your body, it can help you refocus and perform better. The reality, racing is always a privilege! After we have just experienced a spring with no races due to the COVID19 pandemic, look around, take it in, and fully enjoy the simplicity and joy of racing again.

Whether you need an extra pair of goggles, a new aerodrinking system or the right hydration product, be sure to stop by your local Playtri or shop playtristore.com to get what you need to be ready to race Ironman 70.3 Lubbock!

Wishing each athlete the very best and to have an incredible race experience, really there is no race out there like IRONMAN Lubbock 70.3!

Unlock the Open Water Swim: 5 Keys to Success

Don't just survive your next open water swim. Here's how to nail your swim when it takes you outside the (chlorinated) box.

Transitioning from the pool to the open water is one of the toughest—and most important—lessons a triathlete must learn. Swimming back and forth in the pool, alone or with your fellow Masters swimmers, simply isn’t the same as toeing the line in a full field of competitors. Whether the race features a mass or wave start, the outdoor environment brings unexpected anxiety and requires different skills. The good news is that knowing what to expect can help you remain calm and cool in the great washing machine. 

Playtri head coach Ahmed Zaher is an eight-time IRONMAN World Championship finisher with a 52-minute Kona PR swim. Zaher developed these five keys to open-water swimming in 2000 and has been perfecting their execution with clients for the last 18 years. Hop on board and watch your lake/ocean/river time get faster than ever.

Key 1: Warm-up and visualization

Research shows that athletes will not perform to their potential, and are even more likely to panic in the water, if they don't warm up properly. Warming up allows your body to get used to the water temperature, get a feel for the water and get your core muscles nice and loose and ready to move. 

Studies also show that visualization enhances your performance greatly. Be sure to take a look at the course map before the race, then spend a significant amount of time in the days leading up to the race visualizing yourself swimming the course and executing your strategy.

Key 2: Start position

Zaher always says that where you start on the swim won't help you win the race, but it can make you lose. One of the most important things he teaches triathletes in regards to the start position is to stay away from the "washing machine," or area where all of the athletes are on top of one another. This is usually the spot athletes think is the shortest distance to the buoy. The best thing to do is to start up front on the outside of the start line, on the opposite side of where you breathe. Doing this will allow you to take advantage of the other swimmers, but stay clear of the chaos.

Key 3: Sighting

Your first sighting target is right next to you: other swimmers beside you. Sighting off a swimmer next to you allows you to maintain the natural, in-line, swim position and minimizes the amount of sighting you'll have to do to the front. Sighting from the front forces your core and hamstrings to engage as you try to maintain your body position, which can negatively impact your bike and run.

If you cannot sight off of another swimmer, then sight off a bigger object behind the buoy markers, such as a tree or building. If you cannot sight off another swimmer or landmark, sight off the buoy marker.

Key 4: Continuous swim

Even if you bump into an athlete or a buoy, keep going and do not stop. You might have to adjust your stroke a little, but definitely avoid stopping. At a recent Playtri swim clinic, athletes reported saving anywhere from two to four minutes in a 700 meter swim by maintaining a continuous stroke during their race.

Key 5: Drafting

Drafting can be a huge advantage during the swim. The general rule is to position yourself behind the feet of another swimmer in clear water. In water where visibility is low, the best position is to the side, off the swimmer’s hip. When you are drafting, you don't have to waste energy sighting, which allows you to maintain a streamlined, efficient position in the water.

Zaher says an average triathlete can save several minutes off his/her swim time by following these five pillars. However, at the end of the day, practice is the most important tool in your arsenal.

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Playtri hosts Open Water Swims at Lake Lewisville throughout the warmer months...check our events page to see upcoming Open Water Swim Dates: Playtri DFW Facebook Page

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Race or No Race, Keep Going!

 “I am refreshing the website every 30min to see if the race has been cancelled.” “I don’t know what to do now that they may push back the date.” “Not motivated and didn’t want to wake up and train today.”….

REAL TALK, we are ALL in this boat together! The uncertainty of racing, fear, frustration, and emotional roller-coaster toll is not easier on nor harder on than the next athlete. 

Regardless of circumstance: 1- you are an athlete 2- athletes are highly motivated.  Channel this mindset and silence the external noise. Continue to take deliberate steps to stay positive while moving toward your targets.

Whether race day is postponed or canceled, here are a few ways to help assess, reset, and measure your goals:

A.      Highlight Weaknesses to Complement Your Strengths

Whether it be muscularly, metabolically, mentally… we all have our own what I like to call “our lil’ demons” in this sport.  Instead of trying to dodge them, make friends with them right now.  You have the opportunity to take care of the details that typically go unnoticed throughout the race season.  Some specific examples that my athletes and I are addressing: shoulder stabilization and range of motivation for the swim and aero position, glute and hamstring activation for the bike, specific strength and durability for the run, tempo changes and metabolic response demands for racing, nutritional obstacles both in and out of the sport, maximizing time with dynamic warm-ups and proper cool down/ recovery methods, sleep quality… you get the drift. Diagnose your weaknesses and start tackling them.

A great reminder for us all, “You are only as good as your weakest link.”

B.      Identify Specific Weekly Sessions

Each week I emphasize at least 1 swim, bike, and run workout to my clients.  These sessions are set up with optimal physical and mental lead-in as well as ample recovery before their next necessary session.  Make sure you have those 3-4 purposeful sessions that focus on the bigger picture.

Few Examples:

1-      Swim: band sets built on a time interval with tempo changes: 10sets x 2min: 45sec strong/ 15sec moderate

2-      Bike: intervals set on Olympic watts with cadence changes: 3sets x 10min @ 250watts, every 2min drop 10rpm’s

3-      Run: durability workouts set on a trail or hill repeats: 10-15 climbs focusing either on the up or down and effort based rather than pace specificity

4-      Transition work: short hard bike-run-bike-run brick workouts that focus on efficient and smooth transitions, minimizing loss of power and/or pace

C.      Mark Monthly Benchmarks

Having a “monthly benchmark” marked on your calendar is a huge motivator for athletes, of all levels.  Typically this entails 1-2days of solid training, specific hydration/nutritional planning, and recovery.  The goal here is to pull together those specific workouts from previous weeks and test your fitness and mental fortitude.  Because you had previously accomplished these sessions on their own, we want to see how well you are able to execute the demands of triathlon. Remember, Triathlon is not 3 different sports; it is a single sport with many disciplines.

So taking those sessions above, here is a very simple example of what a month’s single-day benchmark might look like:

Swim Band: 10 x 2min: 1min strong/ 1min moderate + Transition 1min + Bike: 2sets x 15min @ 250watts, 1st set at 80+rpm/ 2nd set @ 60+rpm + Transition 1min + Run Hill Repeats 15 x 1min building effort to the ‘finish line’

The goal here is to challenge your triathlon specific fitness (meaning piecing together the disciplines with little to no recovery) that you have built over the last month.  There’s nothing more motivating than seeing the puzzle come together!

D.      REMINDER: YOU GET TO DO THIS!

We all have to take a breath and remember- sport and health are both a responsibility and privilege.  Somehow, many times between submitting an entry fee and the running down that finish line, the original motivation and real reason(s) why an athlete took on ‘the challenge’ gets lost. Athletes lose the pure joy of pushing their limits and become distracted by racking up finisher medals, trophies, and qualifications.  Although all those things are extremely motivating, they are merely party favors! THEY ARE ONLY A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF YOUR HARD WORK, DISCIPLINE, & DEDICATION TO YOUR GOALS.

Although it is not as blatantly obvious, it doesn’t sit pretty on your shelf, nor does it win you recognition: THE REAL ‘PAY DAY’ IS EVERYDAY.  You cannot purchase self-respect and confidence without a daily commitment to keep chipping away at every challenge this sport and your body has to offer.  So, when you start to make excuses and allow the unknowns to discourage you- remember, triathlon is and has always been for you. 

“Mindset is everything” – take advantage of this time, refocus, & start reaping the endorphins!

Questions/Comments Email: Amari@playtri.com

At Home Workout with TRX

TRX challange your core.

The gym is closed, and you have no access to dumbbells, kettlebells, or weight-training machines. It's time to add something new to your fitness routine: TRX training techniques, one my my favorite workout equipment.

What the heck is TRX? Invented by a former U.S. Navy SEAL, the TRX (short for total-body resistance exercise) turns every exercise into a challenge for your core by using two simple resources: gravity and your body weight. All you have to do is anchor the TRX straps to a secure spot — a door frame. Depending on the exercise, you'll use your feet or hands to hold onto the straps. Suspension training can help you not only gain strength but also increase your stability while developing better neuromuscular coordination.

Even better? The straps roll up into practically nothing, so it's a take-anywhere, do-anywhere workout — provided you have somewhere stable to serve as your base. Here are my top four exercises that I am regularly adding to my core strength training.

TRX Push-Up

This movement increases both strength and stability in the upper body and core. It helps give better support and control of your body in unstable positions on the bike (sudden swerves, unexpected potholes, etc.). It also increases power transfer from the upper body to the legs during hard and/or out-of-the-saddle efforts. If you're a triathlete, the TRX Push-Up can add strength to your swim stroke as well as upper torso run mechanics and overall posture.

Targeted Area: Chest and Shoulders

Tips and Progressions

To make this harder, slide back to load more of your body weight onto the straps. To make it easier, step forward to support more of your body weight with your feet. You can also progress to suspending your feet instead of your hands.

TRX Row

This is another great all-around movement that targets opposing muscle groups to the pushup. It can improve posture both on and off the bike, and strengthen the large muscles in your back. As an added bonus, this exercise can add power to your swim stroke.

Targeted Area: Back and Arms

To make it harder, step forward, and place your feet further underneath the anchor. You will end up leaning back further as well, putting more bodyweight on the straps, which means you will lift more weight.

TRX Lat Pull-Down With Squat

The lat pull-down is a great all-around exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi (muscles in the back) and has a beneficial effect on the 'pulling' phase of the four competitive swim strokes. The latissimus dorsi is responsible for a strong stroke, and the forceful rotation that propels your stroke forward. Strong lats will not only increase swim speed and power, but will also enable you to improve your swimming endurance. Hold onto the TRX and draw your feet a little bit wider than shoulder-width apart with your toes and knees turned out. Drop into a deep squat, keep your back straight, and straighten out your arms. As you draw your body upwards, drive through the heels, and engage your lats and biceps as you draw your elbows down to the base of your ribcage.

Targeted Area: Lats and Triceps

TRX Hamstring Curls

The hamstrings are extremely important for running. They need to be strong and flexible. When people log a lot of miles, quadriceps tend to become powerful and dominant. As a result, many peoples' hamstrings become really tight, putting them at a greater risk of injuries such as muscle tears, strains and pulls. Therefore, it's really important to spend some time and energy strengthening the hamstrings with eccentric exercises. Sit on the ground and place both heels into the TRX straps. Lie on your back and keep your legs straight while they're suspended in the air. Keep your upper body and head relaxed on the ground as you draw your hips upward. Keep your glutes and hamstrings tight and engage your hip flexors. Keep your hips and butt elevated as you draw both knees into your chest.

Targeted Area: Hamstrings and Glutes

Repeat the motions until you reach muscle fatigue. It's best to start with 10 to 20 reps for about 2 to 3 sets.

I have been coaching a number of triathletes and runners who, due to work commitments, have to travel extensively and find it hard to get to the gym consistently to follow their running or triathlon-specific strength training, and I often suggest that they invest in the TRX Training System, allowing them to complete their strength and functional core workouts wherever they're staying. 

Happy training, and I hope we can all get back to our regular gym routines in the not-so-distant future!

Coach Anca

Staying Committed ~ It's a Mind Set!

Coach Amari recommends having a Mind Set to keep you engaged and committed to your workouts and ultimately, your health. Her words of wisdom that she shares with her busiest of clients…

IT'S A MIND SET.... this is not a 'rah-rah' session, rather a reality (but I do have pom-poms & could pull them out if you really need them- joking!)

Day One: "My 15 minutes of the workout is better than the missed 3 miles!!!" At least I got 15 minutes in.

Day Two: "I missed my run yesterday, hubs and I want to get a workout in together quickly this am, weights would feel great, what do you think and want me to do?"

Day Three: "Won't get home from the office till ~2am, what can we do to make the most of my 1 hour tomorrow before I have to get back up here?"

THIS IS THE MINDSET THAT WE ALL SHOULD CRAVE AND EMMULATE... 

Here is an athlete with an incredible family commitment, professional career (24 hr work shifts happen weekly), and has extremely limited time.

I honestly am not even talking about the details of each workout, rather the mindset that life just doesn't just stop when they are 'training for an event'. 

In fact, this individual signs up for IM 70.3 and IM events to compliment the crazy. What is so fun about working with this person is that they truly do realize life is all about managing the moving pieces and they actually enjoy the process - they don't try to manipulate or 'get out of the challenge' rather they go with it and MAKE THE MOST OUT OF IT!

So I encourage you- 

1- Working Out & Training are NOT about perfection- guess what, just like life, we feel a sense of self-pride and accomplishment when we are committed to doing the very best we can, with whatever the day brings us- everyday.

2- It is a blast and a PRIVILEGE to have so many moving pieces to your personal puzzle- don't forget that both the process and challenges are fun.

3- You will ALWAYS be busy, better yet, you hope you are always busy- you have heard it over and over- you must take care of yourself before you can take care of another + practice what you preach, actions are more convincing than your words... 

They say '80% of life is about the mind-set'... your mind set and approach are your choices: limit yourself or thrive, every single day. 

Make no excuses, find a way to do something, especially when it is not perfect, and have fun sticking to it.

Go Get 'Em!

Coach Amari

Favorite Bike Drills

One of the best times of year to make progress on technique and form as an athlete is during the time of year when your race calendar is empty. Often times we call that the off-season, but this year is different. With races postponed or going virtual when the race season was just starting up in Texas, now is a good time to address technique and form issues. And when in-person racing starts up again you will be a stronger and more resilient athlete.

As a coach who really enjoys working with people on technique and form in all three triathlon disciplines, when I am watching a triathlete on the bike, my eye gravitates immediately toward their pedal stroke. Most adult-onset triathletes came to the sport of triathlon without having received guidance on proper pedaling technique. Likewise, we triathletes can also be resistant to working on our pedaling technique, because most of us probably learned how to ride a bike when we were young, so how much skill can pedaling a bike require?

But if you watch any group of cyclists in person, you can pick out the riders who have good pedaling skills and those who have poor pedaling skills. The ones with good pedaling skills make riding a bike look effortless as they pedal in complete circles efficiently transitioning through the different phases of the pedal stroke. While the ones with poor pedaling skills can look like they are wrestling with the bike, rocking their upper bodies and stomping on the pedals.

Triathlon is, in many ways, a sport of conserving energy so that you have enough energy to finish the race strong. Since we spend most of our time on the bike and completing roughly 5,000 pedal revolutions per hour, then it makes sense to work on developing our pedaling efficiency so that we have that little bit of extra energy for the run.

My favorite drill for addressing pedaling inefficiency is the single-leg pedaling drill:

•       Set up your bike on a trainer

•       Warm up for 10-15 minutes

•       Unclip one foot and rest it on a chair next to you. Pedal for 30-60 seconds.

•       Switch sides and pedal for 30-60 seconds with the other foot.

•       Clip both feet onto the pedals and spin for 60 seconds.

•       Repeat 4 more times.

•       Recovery for 5-10 minutes with easy pedaling and repeat.

When first starting with these drills, you may notice that you have a dead-spot at the top of your pedal stroke without the added momentum from the other leg your hip flexors get sore quickly. Focus on holding a stable upper body, an engaged core. The goal of this drill is to help you learn how to pedal in circles instead of squares by apply pressure throughout the entire pedal stroke. If you can’t seem to eliminate the spot, try the drill in a slightly harder gear so you have more time per pedal stroke to get it right.

Improving cycling efficiency is a simple way to become a better cyclist. Remember technique is just as important as for improving speed as increasing power/endurance.

 Remember Playtri has everything you need to keep you fit and healthy. Stop by or shop online at  PlaytriStore.com.

Coach JIm

Why Wear a Helmet?!

So many people are now biking!  It's such a great way to get exercise, enjoy the great weather and social distance all at the same time. A helmet can’t prevent bike accidents but it might keep you or your kids from taking a trip to the emergency room. Plus, a helmet helps to make you more visible and prevent a small accident from turning into a major problem!
 

Three quick tips to stay safe:
1) Make sure the helmet covers the back of the head and the top half of the forehead.
2) Helmets should fit snug to the head (always get a helmet with an adjustment device on the inner frame if possible for better fit!), and not fall off or slide around during movement.
3) The chin strap should be snug to the chin, leaving room to put two fingers between strap and chin - the strap should NOT put pressure on the throat!

Get A Great Quality Helmet at Playtri! Prices start at $34.99

Good news! All helmets sold in the United States have to pass the same CPSC safety inspection before they can be sold - this means that no matter the price of your helmet, they are all able to protect your head. However, helmet pricing often reflects improved features such as lighter weight, better ventilation, and generally more comfortable material. Many athletes who are spending more than a couple of miles on their bikes choose to invest in higher price point helmets because of how much they increase the enjoyment of the ride.

  Stay Safe! Shop Helmets at Playtristore.com/collections/helmets

Incorporating Your Family into Your Training

Many of us are working from home these days and if you have children, then you may also be balancing your children’s education with your work, while also trying to maintain your sanity and your fitness. If you find yourself struggling to get your workouts in, it might be time to adjust your expectations. Right now, you don’t need to be great, being a good athlete is good enough. And being a good athlete right now may just mean scaling back your expectations and incorporating your family into your training.

Here are six ideas for incorporating your family into your training (from a coach who has two children, ages 8 and 2):

1.     Embrace the family run. If you have children that are young enough, put them in a run stroller and bring them along. If you have children that are old enough, invite them to bike next to you during a run. With a stroller you will likely be running slower, but it will make you stronger. And with a child biking next to you, they can be your “team car” by carrying your water and helping you keep pace.

2.     Speed work in an empty field. Soccer and football fields aren’t being used these days, so put them to good use. Bring some cones or some other way to mark off different distances and do speed work while your children play in the field.

3.     Embrace the family bike ride. Family bike rides provide excellent opportunities to be active with your family, while you get a good recovery ride in. Get out the bikes for the older kids, the baby seats or bike trailers for the infants/toddlers, and third wheel attachments for the younger children and go for a spin around the neighborhood. Make sure to have helmets and water bottles for everyone. Take breaks regularly for water, laughter, and looking at nature.

4.     Strength training with kids. My oldest child’s school is sending out virtual P.E. classes that regularly include push-ups, sit-ups, burpees, and even games of tag. If your child’s school is doing something similar, join in!

5.     Strength training with kids, part 2. If your child’s school isn’t doing that, then begin incorporating it into your family routine 2-3 times a week. It’s important for your children to be active, so help set a good example and run around the backyard, jump rope, do burpees, or play soccer in the backyard. My oldest child likes to do TRX workouts with me, albeit a very simplified version of my strength routine.

6.     Train early in the day. Set your alarm for zero dark thirty and get that workout in before the co-workers (I mean, your family) wake up.

 Many of our regular routines have been changed lately and creating a new routine can be challenging. But routines are incredibly important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and managing stress. There is no perfect situation for training these days, but making the effort to keep everyone happy and invested in healthy living helps in keeping everyone healthy, safe, and more at ease during these difficult times.

Playtri Coach Jim

Remember Playtri has everything you need to keep you fit and healthy. Stop by or shop online at PlaytriStore.com.

Training Safe During Shorter Days

Training Safe During Shorter Days

Fall means shorter days, which means less daylight for training sessions. However, the current available technology provides ample options for athletes wishing to maintain solid training volume year-round. Consider the following options when planning your training for the coming months:

Reflective gear and apparel: This includes any items with reflective surfaces designed to redirect light back to its source, creating greater visibility. Reflective items are highly recommended during low light or dark hours. Coach Morgan recommends:

·       2XU Reflect Compression Calf Guards

·       Nathan Bandolier Vest

Clip on lights and head lamps: Runners and cyclists alike can benefit from the wide variety of personal lighting currently available on the market. Many lights are now designed with clips or other generic attachments so they can be easily placed wherever it makes the most sense for the athlete. Coach Morgan recommends:

·       Nathan Runners’ Headlamp Neutron Fire RX

·       Nathan StrobeLight LED Clip

Bicycle lights: Cyclists are strongly recommended to have both front and rear lights on their bike for day and nighttime visibility. Many states require a functioning red taillight for low light or dark hours. In recent years, many bike lights have switched from being battery operated to USB rechargeable, making prolonged use easier and less expensive for athletes. Coach Morgan recommends:

·       Garmin Varia RTL510 Radar Tail Light

·       Lezyne Hecto & KTV Pro Drive Pair

Stationary cycling trainers: With smart trainers and apps like Zwift and TrainerRoad, the days of dreading the trainer ride are over! Trainers are a great way to get quality bike volume in on your race bike, even when you can’t get outside. Coach Morgan recommends:

·       Wahoo Kickr

·       Tacx Blue Matic

Maintaining Mental Health While Training Alone

One thing I've always loved about endurance sports is the community - It seems like there's always at least one other person out there up for a swim, ride or run at a moment's notice. I know a lot of us are missing this aspect of the sport right now, and we're missing community in other areas of our lives as well. Following are recommendations that I am making to my athletes to help them focus on mental health and self-care, while dealing with the mental and emotional challenges of more isolated training.

1. Stick to the plan: Recently our motto has been "Training isn't cancelled" - because it isn't. Just because your race was cancelled or postponed does NOT mean that the ultimate goal for your training (HEALTH) needs to be cancelled. Stick to the plan. If the plan you have currently doesn't make sense for your new race date or goal, then get with your coach and make a new one. We've been given one luxury right now, which is time, so take advantage of this opportunity to focus on building better technique, improving core/functional strength, or cross-training to become a more bullet-proof multisport athlete. You'll be that much better on race day. (Don't have a coach? Now's the time to find one - visit us at www.playtri.com/coaching for a free consult to get started)

2. Take time for easy movement: A 20-30 minute walk or easy ride around the neighborhood will give you time to refocus, recover from harder sessions, and absorb some vitamin D. If you are fortunate enough to be at home with family, include them, too, if possible (unless everyone is ready for some alone time!)

3. Try yoga: NOT for the flexibility (though that's a nice bonus), but for the forced meditation. Yoga requires us to focus intently on our movements and body, and to let go of our ego for a little while. We're all being bombarded by news, work and social media at the moment - take 30 minutes to focus away from the noise and get your head right. If you are new to yoga, start small with gentle/beginner courses (there are a lot of easy and free online options) and remember to listen to your body. Yoga isn't a competition - it's all about meeting yourself where you are, and growing from there.

4. Prioritize health: Sleep. Good food. Water. These three little things add up to make a giant impact on our mental, emotional and physical well-being. Aim for 8 hours of sleep at night (if sleep is a challenge for you right now, you may want to try iKOR, which has been shown to have a positive impact on sleep regulation and reduction of anxiety for many athletes), eat whole foods throughout the day, and try to finish 3-4 bottles of water throughout the course of the day (not all at once). These are process goals we set for our top-level athletes throughout the season, but the benefits (emotional stability and positivity, reduction in injuries, increased performance) apply to all of us. 

5. Give yourself room to fail: We're all facing new and uncertain situations right now. NO ONE has all the answers. When you fail, recognize it as an opportunity to grow. This is easier said than done - when we teach this concept to our young athletes, we use a line from the Positive Coach Alliance that asks "What is the most important play? The NEXT play." This means stop focusing on what already went wrong (you can't change it), and look ahead to the next opportunity (and apply what you learned from the previous situation). This is also known as having a "growth mindset," and it is heavily correlated with highly successful individuals. 

6. Connect: Find virtual opportunities for TRUE connection (i.e. not social media) with other people. Have a Zoom party with friends. Find an online game room and set up a tournament with extended family. Call a grandparent living in assisted living. Have a daily video call and "dinner" with your parents. Challenge yourself to really connect with someone every day.

 Finally - don't feel like you have to get it all right at once. Pick one thing from this list to focus on this week. When you miss a day or an opportunity, give yourself a clean slate and keep moving forward. Remember, this isn't about getting a perfect score, it's providing yourself with the opportunity to feel better, and do better as a result. Happy training, and I hope we can all go for a big group ride together in the not-so-distant future!

Benefits to Gait Analysis

Jesse Vondracek

Big training is the sexy side of triathlon. Having a full training log and big miles on strava is a confidence booster going into a race. You can brag about it on instagram and strava kudos are always thrown at the BIG workouts. When I go do 2k of drills in the pool, or a form run for 30 minutes no one seems to be impressed.

However, these skill sessions can reap more benefits in the long run that all the monster training in the world. It is always hard to convince athletes that going slow can in the end make them fast. Getting a professional to help look at your running gait and really break it down for you can help you stay injury free, improve your running economy, and learn a bit about what is going on in your stride. This is a great way to gain “free speed”. As in, at the same fitness level you will run faster. Sounds like a win, right? Convincing athletes of this is a tough one, but if you can it will be worth it! 

Using myself as an example - I would grind myself to bits every season, then get the same injury and have to take weeks off of running. I had a weak hip causing stride issues. Three years ago I took the time to get a gait analysis at Smith Performance Center. They evaluated my stride. It is extremely far from perfect. But, the only thing we looked at is what is the driver of my injury. They coupled the analysis with some muscular strength testing and formulated a plan. I worked on my hip strength and incorporated some running drills in order to encourage my left glute to fire. Since then I have been injury free on the run. I also have a better feel for my run. I can feel when muscles are doing their job, and when they are not. Developing this mind body connection is very important for staying healthy.

Take the time to run slowly and correctly and you will be faster in the future! The early season is the best time to get a gait analysis, but any time is the right time if you have never had one. See what you are doing right, and what you can improve upon. Remember to take the time to do the work in order to improve and enjoy Free Speed down the road!

Get your Gait Analysis at Playtri. Get all the details here: Playtri.com/testing

Swim Fitness at Home

As swimmers & triathletes, we've all had periods when our swim training was interrupted due to lack of pool availability. However, you CAN maintain swim fitness at home with swim-specific conditioning utilizing resistance cords or similar tools, and for some athletes, this is actually an opportunity to become even more aware of how to properly engage muscles throughout the stroke.

Here's one of my favorite at-home sessions for you to try - mix it in with your regular conditioning 2-3 times a week.

Recommended equipment:

 Resistance cord or similar tool -

· I like the Finis Dryland Cord with medium resistance for most athletes because of its easier anchoring strap, freely rotating handles and lighter resistance (which means lower risk of overusing stabilizing muscles in the shoulders). 

· I LOVE the Finis Slide Dryland Trainer because it has all the benefits of cords, while providing more constant resistance and lessening the risk of overloading the shoulders.

Padded surface to lay on (exercise mat or carpet)

 Warm up:

10 x Forward Arm Rotations - use one arm (straight) to make 10 big circles (do both arms)
10 x Backward Arm Rotations - now circle the arm in the other direction (do both arms)
10 x Walking Lunges with a Twist - while in the lunge position, pull arms overhead and twist towards the front leg
8 x Plank to Down Dog - alternate between a straight arm plank the yoga "down dog" position

10 x Forward-to-Back Leg Swims - while stabilizing yourself, swing one leg forward and backward (do both legs)
10 x Side-to-Side Leg Swings - while stabilizing yourself, swing one leg side to side in front of the body (do both legs)

Main set:

First, check out this video of Playtri-sponsored coach Jesse explaining how to mimic the underwater freestyle stroke with resistance tubing.

It's important to note that the muscle group doing the most work at the front part of the stroke is the lats (latissimus dorsi) and the group doing the most work at the back part of the stroke is the triceps. Take a moment to try and enage each of these muscle groups separately. Note that your core (abdominal and back muscles) should be active during all movements!

Take your resistance tubing and anchor it to a heavily weighted stationary object (stair railings and bed frames are perfect for this).

Repeat the following set 2-4* x through:

 *ALWAYS stop if you feel your form getting sloppy!
30-90 seconds of continuous Two Arm Catch w/ tubing (see Coach Jim demonstrating here)
30-90 seconds of Tricep Extensions with tubing (see Coach Jim demonstrating here).
20-40 seconds of Flutter Kicking - lay on your back with hands under your glutes, legs slightly lifted off the ground and straight with pointed toes, mimic the flutter kick of the freestyle stroke
30-120 seconds of continuous Two Arm Stroke w/ tubing - using both arms together, complete the full underwater stroke cycle
30-60 seconds of Glute Bridges - lay on your back with legs bent and feet flat on the ground, squeeze glutes and raise hips as high as possible before lowering back down
30-60 seconds of Plank to Down Dog (same as the warm up drill)

Cool down:
Walk for 5 minutes, and repeat some of the easier movements (arm rotations and leg swings) from the warm up to keep the blood flowing and start the recovery process.

Hopefully, we see you at the pool soon, but until then - keep working that swim fitness!