Getting the Biggest Bang for your Tri Budget

Getting the Biggest Bang for your Tri Budget

Triathlon has always been a sport that has been an early adopter when it comes to innovative new ideas and gear. Some of the best innovations in cycling and endurance sports have come through the envelope pushing attitude of triathletes. Because we have an early adoption attitude, triathlon can be an expensive sport. However, not all improvements in this sport require money. If you are looking to make some big gains this season, here are some of the most economical upgrades you can make on the bike to improve, assuming that you already have or will be purchasing a tri bike soon.

Improve your flexibility.

Regular stretching and myofascial release, especially in your hips and lower back, is critical to improving your on-bike position. Whether you are riding a road bike or tri bike, you cannot hold a good aerodynamic position if you aren’t flexible enough. Regular yoga, Pilates, or your own homemade stretching routine will do. Stretches such as Happy Baby pose, Pigeon pose, Downward Dog, and Cow-Face pose will loosen tight hips and lower back.

Shave your legs.

Shaving your legs allows you to get your wetsuit off easier, reduce drag in the water, improve cleaning and healing after a crash, and adhere to cycling tradition. In addition, you can save watts on the bike, some studies show that smooth legs will give you a whopping 15 watt savings!

Update your tri kit

Select the snuggest fitting, sleeved, one-piece tri suit that you can fit into. Anything that flaps in the wind will increase your drag. I’m a big fan of this kit made specifically for Playtri.

Proper bike fit

You can have the most aerodynamic bike money can buy, but if you aren’t able to hold an aerodynamic position because the bike doesn’t fit you then you are wasting energy and money. A good bike fit will optimize your position, making you more aerodynamic, more comfortable, and make the best of the bike you currently have or are buying. When you get your fit, talk with the fitter, a coach, or a sales associate about the best ways to store nutrition & hydration on your bike.

Work with a coach

It is hard to be objective as a self-coached amateur athlete. It is so easy to fall into a routine that does not help us improve as athletes, but comfortably fits into our life commitments. Coaches who write a plan that meets your life commitments, fits into your schedule, challenges you to get better, and helps you to learn the in’s and out’s of triathlon faster are worth every penny. You can find out about working with a Playtri here.

Power meter

Outside of a heart rate monitor, this is the best tool for measuring your performance on the bike. Heart rate monitors help us know the physiological cost of exercise (how hard it is on the body), while power meters help us know the exact energy we put into the bike. Using both a heart rate monitor and power meter will allow you to really dial in strategies for bike pacing and with testing (a Blood Lactate/Power Zone test and a Vo2 calorie expenditure test), you can determine the correct nutrition strategy for training and racing at different intensities.

Aero helmet

Aero helmets are the next upgrade if you are looking to make performance gains with your money. Your head provides a big wind catch and using an aero helmet can minimize some of that drag and increase your overall speed. Short, blunt aero helmets or aero road helmets work well for amateur athletes who can’t hold their aerodynamic position for an entire race.

Race tires & Aero Wheels

Both race tires and aero wheels will give you an advantage on race day. Race tires will help you cut down on rolling resistance and increase overall speed and should be something you use on race day no matter what type of wheel you are using. Save the bomb-proof tires for training. Aero wheels, although they will cost more, offer a significant advantage in comfort and aerodynamics. When you purchase aero wheels be prepared to have an honest talk about your bike handling skills and the type of race courses you will be racing, since those impact how deep your aero wheels can be.

Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 4 Coach and a USAT LI Certified Coach who works with adult athletes of all abilities from beginners to IRONMAN World Championship qualifiers. Learn more about Jim at www.playtri.com/jim-rowe.

Coach Jim's Tri Tips: How to Run Better Off the Bike

It’s a fairly common issue for triathletes to struggle on the run at the end of a race, no matter the distance. Fatigue sets in, cadence slows down, and your pace starts to decrease. If this is a normal occurrence for you, then it is worth trying out these training and racing tips.

Commit to post workout and race nutrition & hydration — Immediately after every workout and race, take time to get post-exercise nutrition & hydration in. Shoot for a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein in the 300-500 calorie range. Some ideas are: 1 medium sweet potato with 2 tablespoons of almond butter; 1/2 cup (dry) oatmeal with 2 tablespoons dried tart cherries; 2 oz (dry) whole wheat pasta with 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup broccoli, and 2/3 cup green beans

Commit to post workout and race dynamic stretching and myofascial release — Immediately after every workout and race, commit to stretching and rolling (or massage gun or compression boots). Overly tight muscles or fascia can lead to a snowball rolling down a hill effect if you don’t address it right away. If you can’t do this right after your workout, then make sure to get it in at the end of the day.

Strengthen your core and stabilizing muscles — Strength training is often the first thing to be dropped by athletes if their schedule is tight. Our focus for strength training isn’t to bulk up, but to improve strength endurance, stability, and sport-specific strength. Sport-specific strength looks like pull sets in the pool, hill repeats or big gear, low cadence work on the bike, and hill repeats on the run. To improve your strength endurance and stability include twice weekly core work such as: prone, frontal, and supine planks; banded straight leg lifts, banded clamshells, banded lateral walks, banded squat walks; and hamstring focused work like single leg Romanian deadlifts, single leg glute bridges, stability ball (or elevated) hamstring curls.

Include brick runs in your training on a weekly basis — Depending on what your focus is for the week, include a weekly brick run off at least one brick run per week. Some examples: 30 -60 minute bike before a long run; 30-60 minute run after a long bike; 15 minute run after hill repeats or speed work on the bike.

Improve your swim form — Triathlon is about managing your energy throughout the race so that you can finish strong at the end of the race. Improving your body position in the water means less wasted energy. Working with a swim coach who is familiar with open water swimming will help you on race day.

Nail your bike nutrition & hydration — The term “ride for show, run for dough” applies here, especially for long course racing. How you fuel your bike has a direct impact on your ability to run strong. At Playtri we work with our athletes to build a nutrition & hydration plan that is science-based and tailored to the intensity of their race.

Work on your run form and cadence — Regularly working on running tall, with relaxed arms, and a high cadence (above 170 steps per minute) will help on race day. To improve your run cadence try this 30 minute workout:

• Warm up for 5 minutes, gradually moving from a walk to a run.

• Walk 1 minute, Run 4 minutes with a cadence that is 2-5 steps per minute faster than your current preferred cadence. Use a metronome or music to guide your feet and visualize your new run cadence during the walk breaks. Repeat 1 minute walk, 4 minutes run four times. (If your cadence drops below your goal cadence, take a short walk break and then start up again.)

• Cool down with 5 minutes of walking.

Adopt a run/walk strategy for training and racing — Accept that walking during the run portion of a triathlon is not a sign of weakness, but an opportunity to strategically bring your heart rate down, visualize good run form and cadence, and get nutrition & hydration in at aid stations. The vast majority of Playtri athletes use a run/walk strategy for their races whether it is walking the aid stations or walking one minute for every 4, 9, 14, or 19 minutes.

Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 4 Coach and a USAT LI Certified Coach who works with adult athletes of all abilities from beginners to IRONMAN World Championship qualifiers. Learn more about Jim at www.playtri.com/jim-rowe

Five (Not So Obvious) Reasons to Hire a Coach

By Coach Chad Carpenter

For many there is a mental reflex whenever the topic of getting a coach comes up. often, people may think, “I’m not trying to be a pro, so I don’t need a coach” or “I will get a coach when I am fast or competitive enough”. Maybe you think that you just don’t have enough time before your race, and you might as well stick to what you are doing. Getting faster or being competitive is such a small slice of what a coach can truly bring to your life, and we can still provide immense help even in the days leading up to a race. Below are five not-so obvious reasons why you should be getting a coach now.

1. SOMEBODY DOES THE BORING, TIME CONSUMING WORK FOR YOU

Building a real training plan that maximizes an athlete’s growth takes time and continuous iteration. Sure, plenty of free training plans are available when you search online, but none of those were written to fit your lifestyle, work demands, family time, and current fitness level. Planning your own workouts takes a lot of time to do correctly, and it comes with the risk of composing a poor plan due to lack of experience. Add the hours of planning to the hours of actual training, and you will end up with zero free time (and possibly a very upset spouse or partner that you do not spend enough time with). When you hire a coach, you are getting a ‘training assistant’ that composes the workouts for you, plans out the entire season, and makes the necessary changes to it when life comes up. You save countless hours of effort by not worrying about the planning which gives you more time and energy in executing your personal training plan as well as enjoying your life outside of sport.

2. PROVIDE STRUCTURE TO YOUR LIFE

For most of us, the only real structure we have from day to day is when we go to work and when we don’t. I like to sort-of joke that my days are basically structured by finding ways to distract myself in between meals. Outside of those time constraints, we generally make it up as we go. Some of us are good at that, and some of us are generally bad at it. What you thought was going to be a productive weekend when you eventually  got around to working out, turned into not making up your mind on doing a long bike ride or trail run. Instead, you looked for an inspirational movie that led to a 6-hour Netflix binge and no workout. With a coach, your entire workouts are already planned and structured into your life so that you do not have to figure it out as you go. Adding the structure of daily workouts will not only make you more organized but also more consistent in your training. We often bring the better parts of ourselves to the structure in our life. While your job may get a lot of the better parts of you, you deserve bringing it to yourself and your training.

3. IMMERSE YOURSELF WITHIN A COMMUNITY

When you hire a coach, you are getting more than a single individual’s attention and effort. Your coach will likely work with a team of coaches as well as work with other athletes. This instantly gives you a network of people to work with, learn from, and have fun with. The coach can provide group workout sessions to enable the social nature of us all as well as athlete happy hours that help us meeting new people and make new friends. Additionally, with the network of the coach, you are almost guaranteed to get the assistance you need for your own training needs. For example, I have an athlete that enjoys using TRX as part of his training regime, but I have zero experience using a TRX system. With only one quick email to another Playtri coaching, and we have supplied the athlete with some great TRX workouts that have been geared towards triathletes. You don’t just get a single coach, you gain a network.

4. ACCELERATE YOUR EDUCATION

You can read journal articles, books, and online magazines all day about the best ‘this or that’ for triathlon training. The resources area quite endless, and as with most subjects, you need to be able to filter out the useful information with the bad, misleading information. With a coach, you get a veteran who has been there, done that, and got the t-shirt (too many race t-shirts, actually).  Not only do we provide a training plan, but we provide a dedicated and reliable source of information. We can provide suggestions on what the best gear is and why,  how to set yourself up for success in getting improved sleep, and even give you easy to follow rules of thumb for pre/post workout nutrition and race day strategies.  I originally got my first coach because I wanted to learn, but I got so tired of filtering through all the overwhelming data and strategies, nor did I have the time for it. Now, I personally enjoy forwarding on quick reads, articles, and good books to my athletes who I know love reading about it but are too time crunched to find what they need.

5. ACCOUNTABILITY AND FEEDBACK

For many of us, it is clear on who are the ‘first marshmallow’ kids, and who are the ‘second marshmallow’ kids[1]. Some of us want or need accountability to be consistent. This does not have to be any dictator-level overwatching, big-brother accountability, but just a casual check-in about how a workout went or maybe what the plans are for the next training session. A coach can provide these short, frequent communication channels that enables a sense of accountability. We also provide feedback to your efforts and progress. For newbies and veterans alike, determining what is hard and what is easy is not always straightforward. Sometimes, we lose good form or pick up bad habits. Coaches not only provide a framework for structure and difficulty but can give insights to how well you executed and how we can correct our form. Overtime, you begin to calibrate your own personal perceived effort and form based on the frequent feedback.

When it comes down to it, coaches provide so much more than a training plan for the fast and competitive. We are here to make the life of any athlete more efficient and productive. With us, you gain a network of coaches and group knowledge that will progress you towards your goals. Through feedback and accountability, you remain consistent throughout your training, and consistency is a key element in having both a successful and enjoyable triathlon career.

Coach Chad is a Playtri Level 2 Coach and an IRONMAN World Championship qualifier. Learn more about Coach Chad at www.playtri.com/chad-carpenter.

[1] If you are unfamiliar with the term, I highly suggest doing a quick search about the multiple variations of psychologist Walter Mischel’s famous experiment that correlated achievement in adult life with a child’s ability to delay satisfaction for a greater return: eat one marshmallow now or wait an extended period for two marshmallows.

Training Metrics: When to Use Them... and When Not to

By Coach Chad Carpenter

There is a time and place for everything, and this concept certainly applies to training metrics. With all the wearables, online platforms, and data analysis methods built around endurance training, feeling “paralysis by analysis” is quite common. A few years ago, heart rate monitors were only used by the curious elite, but now, it seems like every person not only has a monitor on their wrist, they also wear monitor another across their chest. Our phones receive a notification every morning that inform us of the quality of our sleep and remind us throughout the day to get you 10,000 steps, regardless if you already had a bike, swim, or strength workout. Some platforms even have the audacity to tell us we should rest for 40+ hours after a workout even though we have not even gotten to the hard workouts later in the week. Do we have to listen to all of this? Short answer: no, but you should listen to some.  Let’s first talk about some post-event metrics (e.g. sleep or average pace) and then we will talk about in-situ metrics (e.g. heart rate or power).

FOCUS ON TRENDS AND CORRELATIONS, NOT SINGLE DATA POINTS

Picture this. You get your new fitness tracker, be it a Garmin, Fitbit, or whatever you fancy, and after the first night wearing it, the tracker gives you an indication of low sleep quality. Does this make you a poor sleeper? Probably not. It is easy to land into the pitfall of feeling like an underachiever when receiving a single data point that ‘indicated’ less than optimal results. You would be surprised how that single data point can completely affect our day and decisions from the unintended bias that notification enabled. You may have not felt tired throughout the day, but now that you checked your sleep score after lunch, you suddenly feel tired and bogged down. We can be primed into feeling this way by a metric that is subject to error and only a small piece of the entire picture.

There is more to this story. Let’s say that with the same tracker, you usually average about 7.5 hours of sleep a night. However, for a stretch of 3 nights, it determined you only achieved around 6 hours of sleep each night. A change in the data trend is worth exploring and reflecting on. Additionally, if you can also see that your resting heart rate also increased throughout that same 3-day span, it might be time to reduce the stress in your day as you could be over trained, over stressed, or simply coming down sick. Trends and correlated metrics are difficult to argue with and should be considered into how you adapt your lifestyle.

This concept of interpreting trends instead of single data points applies to performance output metrics as well such as bike power or running pace. If you go to a single, track session, but your lap splits are not as fast as they were last week, do not freak out. Fluctuations in performance can and will exist workout to workout. I would be very suspicious if they did not. However, if you are showing consistently slower splits over a few weeks, then it is time to reflect and seek feedback. Have you also noticed an imbalance in your strides such as more ground-contact-time on your left side than your right side? Has your load in your bike or strength workout also increased? You could have picked up a bad habit in your run form or maybe you are chronically fatigued or on the brink of a real injury. At the end of the day, you should not worry until you see a steady trend. If you do, then take action.

KNOW THE INTENTION OF THE WORKOUT

We not only analyze and assess metrics after our workouts, but often we can let the metrics drive how we train. When using or not using metrics during your workout, you should know the intention and focus of the workout. Are you aiming to get some hill work and build up strength endurance? Are those 100m laps for time at race pace or just an easy recovery swim? If you are feeling leg fatigue, should you still push to race power?

When building your own workouts, you should be deciding what the intention of a workout well before execution, and then build the workout plan or structure around that intention. For those who are part of a group program or have a personal coach, make sure you understand the intention of the workout before deciding if or how to use the live metrics to get the most out of your workout. For example, for the ‘long endurance’ runs, I often recommend athletes to not look at their pace. Instead, I would suggest that they give me the best running form at a pace that keeps them near a particular range of heart rate. If their heart rate goes above the prescribed range, then they get a walk break. The intention of the workout is to accumulate time in a smooth, good form and aerobic condition. This pace is a secondary outcome, not a primary input. This approach not only empowers the athlete to adjust their perceived effort based on the terrain (flat, hilly, trail) and weather (hot, cold, humid, dry) but also frees them from worrying about pace and performance. After a while, I find the athletes start to calibrate their ‘inner animal’. They know exactly the perceived effort needed to hit the target metrics, and they do so without looking down at their watch or bike computer all the time.

On the flip side, an athlete may have a workout that asks them to hit intervals of threshold power on the bike. If the athlete is consistently getting up to the prescribed power but still feels fresh as if they can go a little deeper, should they continue to stay at the initial target power? More often than not, I am going to tell them to lay down the watts and show me how much further they can go. As long as pushing a little harder does not interfere with their training or recovery in the coming days, this can be a great opportunity for the athlete to reach a new plateau or learn how their body responds to a little extra effort. It takes a smart athlete, and a smart coach, to know when to stick to their target metrics, when to push harder, and when to back off.

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

When it comes down to it, metrics are just information and not hard lines to train or live by. As with any information, it is up to us to decide to use the information or ignore it and move on with our day. Be skeptical of single data points but highly reflective when you see trends and correlations form, both good trends and bad trends. Know the intention of your workouts and which metrics are important for those workouts. At Playtri, we often keep our workout structure simple with heart rate zones based on your blood lactate threshold which has proven to be effective over and over again. By keeping it simple, we keep it not only easy to follow, but repeatable for athletes to achieve success. If you wish to find out more, make sure to contact Playtri about our blood lactate testing or talk to one of our coaches about one-on-one coaching.

Coach Chad is a Playtri Level 2 Coach and IRONMAN World Championship Qualifier. Learn more about Coach Chad at www.playtri.com/chad-carpenter.

USA Cycling and Junior Gearing

With road racing season "kicking into gear" (I hope everyone appreciated that) I've had lots of parents asking me about junior rollouts and junior gearing. First, these two phrases are directly related. Second, you need to know that they only apply to USA Cycling events, not USA Triathlon, which means if your young athlete only plans to race triathlons this season, you do not need to worry about this.

Here's a short and sweet video about junior gearing and rollouts

Note: At most Texas races, they will actually perform rollout before the race begins. The distance for rollout at junior races here in Texas is 26' or 7.93 meters.

Also here to explain Junior Gearing is USA Cycling and friends:

Junior Gears

USA Cycling's explanation for Junior Gearing: "The main purpose of junior gear restrictions is to help the young rider develop a good pedal cadence and to avoid injury. Junior gear restrictions also level the playing field for developing juniors who may be at a disadvantage against rivals who possess physical advantages such as height and power."

Why don't we require junior gearing in Playtri, or triathlon in general? This is a source of some debate. I have two primary reasons why I don't feel junior gearing is necessary for my athletes specifically:

1. I strongly believe that proper coaching on cadence and utilizing a cadence computer (why I am such a stickler about this for our Gold 2 and up teams, for those who didn't know) are the best way to teach cadence and proper use of gearing. I don't feel that equipment is a solution for lack of good coaching, and a newer athlete could still be "mashing" (pushing too hard at a low cadence) even on junior gears.

2. Disadvantages due to growth? Gearing does not fix this. Also, this is life. Physical development and sport development are both processes, and sometimes you're going to be on the "winning" side, and sometimes not. However, if you're teaching younger athletes that it isn't all about the podium, then I feel like this is a moot point. It's hard to accept, but I think ultimately it pushes athletes to value process over podiums, and that's a win in my book.

So, we "block out" or "lockout" gears (adjust set limit screws on the rear derailleur to prevent access to the smallest/hardest gears) when we go to USA Cycling events so that we can comply with the rollouts there.

This is a handy chart that tells you how many gears to block on a young athlete's bike based on their gear ration (please note, really a 50T front ring will probably need the 14T rear cog blocked as well, even though it doesn't appear that way in the following chart):

Junior Gear Ratio Chart

Just a reminder - once you've locked out your gears, you need to remember to unlock them, too! I suggest parents and athletes learn to do this simple procedure themselves to avoid the hassle of relying on a mechanic for such a quick fix.

Have questions? Please feel free to email me at morgan@playtri.com.

Have a great Thursday!

The 99% and Aspirational Training

The idea of the 99% is not new or unique. What is the 99%? It is the day-in, day-out discipline, intention and hard work that, outside of knowledge and equipment, brings athletes 99% of their success in their sport. High level coaches will consistently reinforce to their athletes that there is no magic formula for success – there is the 99%, and once you have that, then there is the 1%, or marginal gains as we often refer to it.

I recently spoke on this topic with a group of athletes at our Pre-Season Camp, and felt it warranted a write up as we begin the new year and consequently see a spurt of what I often to refer to as “aspirational training.”

What is aspirational training? Aspirational training is when an athlete sees another athlete whose level they aspire to be at, and think “if I can do the same workout as him or her, then I will be on the path to that same level of success/fitness/etc.” Essentially, they have decided to focus on the importance of this single session or type of session, to the detriment of the 99%. This is when we see athletes who have previously being doing 30 minute swims or short rides attempting to do 30 x 100 free in the pool, or a 3 hour ride out on the bike. The worst is the hard run sets, where athletes may go from doing brief, relaxed efforts to attempting to complete intense track sessions with minimal recovery.

Aspirational training, while emotionally appealing in its possibilities to boost confidence and reassure ourselves that we are on the path to success, is a common cause of injury and training plateaus/declines for amateur athletes. By attempting to complete sessions that their bodies do not have a skill or fitness foundation for, athletes dig a hole that they cannot recover from (or gain any benefit from) without significant time off, meaning that the athlete is actually LESS fit at the end of the process than before they did the aspirational workout. Sometimes it may take a few of these sessions to well and truly dig the hole of under-recovery, but eventually training based on that of another, fitter athlete will inevitably lead to the same conclusion.

I suggest, instead, the following:

1. Examine your goals for the season. Where do you need to be, and in what amount of time, to achieve those goals?

2. Examine where you are today. How close are you to where you need to be for your goals? Do you see a clear pathway to that level of skill and fitness? What weaknesses will hold you back and how can you address them?

3. If the pathway is clear, do the 99%! Begin building from where YOUR body is, and focus on daily progress. Ignore what others are doing until you are close to their level, then examine their choices and determine if they make sense for your goals, strengths and weaknesses.

4. Set realistic process goals surrounding the 99% including nutrition, hydration and sleep to support your training. For example, “I’m going to sleep 7 hours a night at least 6 nights out of the week,” or “I’m going to eat at least two different vegetables at dinner every day.”

5. Enjoy training sessions for what they are – an opportunity to move and strengthen your body, and to reach your potential.

In short – be honest and measured with your self-assessment and training.

It isn’t an exciting approach – except in its ability to keep you healthy and produce results. If this resonates with you and you aren’t sure where to start, consider hiring an experienced coach who can walk you through the steps.

Coach Morgan Hoffman is the Head Coach of Playtri and a USAT Level II Coach and Coach Educator. She runs the Team Playtri Elite High Performance Team, and coaches junior and adult athletes of all levels.

Learn more about individual coaching at www.playtri.com/individual.

Tri Tips from Coach Jim: Essential Pre-Season Bike Drills

The preseason (or prep period if you use Joe Friel’s terminology) is the time of year where we are more intentional about preparing our bodies to be able to handle the increased training and racing that will happen in the upcoming season. Thus, it is an excellent time of the year to deliberately shift our focus from getting in the big miles and intensity and work on things like: improving body composition, core strength, swim form, bike skills, and run form. Here are my favorite preseason bike drills to improve your pedaling stroke and bike handling skills.

High Speed Spinning — While riding on a trainer or a flat section of road at the end of your warm-up, increase your cadence by 10-15 rpms, and hold that cadence for 1 minute, recover at normal cadence for 1 minute and repeat 5 times. The goal of this drill to improve your pedaling efficiency. If you start bouncing in your seat, then slow your cadence a bit until you are no longer bouncing.

Single Leg Drill — While riding on a trainer or a flat section of road at the end of your warm-up, unclip one foot and use the other leg to turn the cranks. Pay attention to lightly dragging your foot across the bottom (like scraping mud off the bottom of your shoe), lifting your knee upward, then gently kicking over the top. Pedal with one leg for a minute at a time, paying attention to where dead spots show up in your pedal stroke, then switch to your other leg. Repeat 5 times on each leg. The goal of this drill is to develop your ability to apply power efficiently throughout the entire pedal stroke.

Riding Slowly — In an empty parking lot, quiet road, or empty bike path, slow your roll until you are riding at 2-3 miles per hour, while maintaining a smooth pedal stroke and riding in a straight line. Riding slowly forces you to improve your overall balance and gives you confidence when you find yourself riding in traffic.

Slow Slalom & Parking Space Figure 8 — Like riding slowly, this drill improves your balance and also your handling skills. In an empty parking lot, use cones or small items like water bottles or spare inner tubes to create a short course for yourself. A slalom style course is particularly helpful. Another good course is riding in a figure 8 within the area of a parking space. Both of these courses require you to ride slowly, learn the handling qualities of your bike, and how you can use your body weight to steer your bike.

Single Hand Riding — Single hand riding is an important skill to develop for triathletes for signaling turns, grabbing water bottles & nutrition, and improving your handling and balance. In an empty parking lot, while riding at least 12-15 mph place your hands on the bar top, sit square on the saddle, and practice lifting on hand at a time. As you get more comfortable riding with one hand, move your free hand to different parts of your bike and body to practice grabbing a bottle from your down tube or grabbing nutrition from a jersey pocket. Once you are comfortable riding single handed from the bar top, practice single handed riding from the aero position.

Bike Mounts — Flying mounts certainly are not a requirement for age group triathletes, however there’s a lot of free speed if you can mount your bike without coming to a complete stop. If you are new to moving bike mounts, here are the steps to master a scooting bike mount. 1) In an empty parking lot, wear running shoes and practice running while holding your saddle with your right hand. Practice this until you are comfortable steering your bike while running. 2) Grab the handlebar with both hands and place your left foot on the left pedal and practice scooting your bike forward by pushing off the ground with your right foot. Continue this until you are comfortable and balanced. 3) Once you are comfortable scooting on your bike, then practice swinging your right leg back and forth over your saddle while scooting. After you have mastered these steps then you can practice these steps with your shoes clipped to your pedals.

Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 4 Coach and a USAT LI Certified Coach who works with adult athletes of all abilities from beginners to IRONMAN World Championship qualifiers. Learn more about Jim at www.playtri.com/jim-rowe.

Race Season Gear Check

Race Season Gear Check

The beginning of the new year is a perfect time to not only start training for the upcoming triathlon season, but also the perfect time to check the condition of your gear, schedule any needed maintenance, and plan to purchase new gear. Here is an essential triathlon gear list and what to look for when it comes to maintaining your gear.

Wetsuit: Check your wetsuit for any tears or punctures. Also try your wetsuit on to make sure it still fits.

Swim caps: A well-fitting swim cap provides warmth, comfort, and drag reduction. Make sure your swim caps are in good condition.

Goggles: The type of goggle you use depends on the weather conditions during training & racing. Make sure you have 3 pair of goggles; clear, tinted, and mirrored/polarized.

Swim suit: Swim suit fabric breaks down from repeated exposure to chlorine. Check to make sure your swim suit is not revealing too much. Replace as needed.

Bike maintenance: If it has been awhile since you have had maintenance done on your bike, then it is time for a check up. Schedule a time for the mechanics to look it over.

Helmet: Check your helmet for any cracks, dents, and fraying straps. Helmets should be replaced every three years or immediately after any crash.

Bike Shoes: Plan on replacing your bike cleats every year or at least every 5,000 miles. Your bike shoes can be replaced every few years.

Flat kit: Inspect your spare tubes for cuts. Make sure you have full Co2 cartridges. You should have a flat kit on each of your bikes that consists of at least: 1-2 spare tubes, 2 Co2 cartridges, two tire levers, and a small multi-tool.

Sunglasses: Sunglasses are like sunscreen for your eyes. If you use them everyday they should be replaced every 1-2 years.

Socks, run clothes, and cycling kit: It’s good to have enough clothing to rotate your usage. A general rule of thumb is to have enough athletic socks for each day of the week, run clothes and cycling kit for 3 workouts per week. It’s nice to have one new pair of bike shorts per year since these wear out faster than bike jerseys or run clothing.

Water bottles: Plastic water bottles start to break down after continued use and need to be replaced about once a year. However, you can extend the life of your bottles if you have enough to rotate their usage and if you clean them after every use.

Running Shoes: Run shoes (except for racing flats or super shoes) last approximately 300-500 miles. If you aren’t tracking the miles on your shoes, regularly inspect the soles of your shoes for wear and tear.

Tri kit: Tri kit loses elasticity from exposure to sweat and bacteria can eat at your kit if you don’t care for it. Plan on replacing your racing kit every 1-2 years.

Bike fit: If it has been a hot minute since you last had a bike fit, then schedule one now. Comfort on the bike leads to better bike splits and faster run times.

Coach Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 3 and USAT Level 1 Coach. He coaches age group athletes of all ability levels from first time finishers to IRONMAN World Championship qualifiers. Learn more about Jim at www.playtri.com/jim-rowe.

Meet the Coach: Ryan Siebert

Playtri Level II Coach Ryan Siebert began coaching with us back in April, and has quickly grown into his role as an individual coach on our team, as well as one of our junior elite coaches! Read on to get to know him better.

How did you get into triathlon?

I did my first triathlon at 10 years old. The Holtzville pool sprint triathlon on Long Island, NY. My mother was my influence as she was a highly competitive triathlete herself in the 80’s. She had some great results and competed in the Ironman World Championships in Kona in 1985. In high school, I began cycling and walked onto the swim team after giving up my NHL ambitions. So my junior year, I started racing triathlons more frequently and had quick age group success and wanted to turn that into overall success. I was fortunate to be introduced to a coach that has had a major contribution to my life as a whole but guided me to the top of the local podiums and beyond. I love the challenge of the process to the race and the variation from the three sports.

How long have you been racing and what are some aspects of your triathlon career that you are especially proud of?

I have been racing for 13 years. Even though I took some time off seriously competing while in the Air Force, I still found myself in the odd race here and there every year. Some victories stand out among others, but my favorite has to be when I won the RJA Memorial Mighty Montauk on its 30th anniversary and joined my mom on the list of winners.

What do you do when you aren't doing triathlon?

I still enjoy some hobbies from my old job: skydiving, scuba diving, rock climbing. But recently I’ve been spending time learning how to code. I enjoy the problem solving and don’t think the need for that skill is going anywhere any time soon.

What made you want to be a coach?

Triathlon has taught me many lessons that apply to all aspects of my life. Nothing comes free in the sport. You have to work hard and consistently to have success. And it never gets easier, you only go faster. These principles can bring you success in anything you apply it to and that’s the big picture I want to show athletes. In the short term, it’s very rewarding when athletes have success in workouts or races and accomplish something they never thought was possible.

In your opinion, what are the top three components necessary for athletes to be successful in triathlon?

Consistency, patience, discipline

How do you tailor your coaching to help age group athletes with limited time achieve their goals?

Starting off with an honest conversation about tailoring their goals to their availability (ie a particular goal may have to wait 9 months to be accomplished instead of 6). Then making the most of the time they do have. When high volume is important I need to write a plan that capitalizes on the time they have open without sacrificing the other aspects of their life such as family time and work.

You've got a strong cycling background - what are some of your favorite bike handling drills for triathletes?

The parking space figure-8 is a valuable drill with low requirements. Completing figure-8’s while staying inside the lines of a standard parking space force you to manage your body weight distribution and balancing pedal pressure and brake application.

A drill I have been doing with my juniors is having them stack cones as they ride by. This forces even more weight distribution management and brake application because you have to lean over to one side as you ride by as slow as possible to place a cone on the ground over another.

Contact partner drills is another valuable drill that can help every cyclist but especially those interesting in competing in draft-legal triathlon or standard cycling races like the criterium that are popular here in flatland-Texas. Riding side by side another cyclist bumping

elbows and leaning into each other to fight for a line will help you stay up when this happens unexpectedly in a race. This is best done on a grass field and with people you won’t hold a grudge over if they knock you over.

What is your favorite aspect of coaching with Playtri?

The community. Everyone that trains with Playtri has their own individual goals and unique athletic and life backgrounds that they bring to the table and everyone benefits from that melting pot.

Anything else you think we should know about you?

I served 6 years in the Air Force Special Operations community as a Pararescueman. We performed search and rescue both stateside and in combat. We deployed unilaterally as well as individually with other Special Operations teams, acting as point of injury medics and technical rescue specialists.

Check out Ryan’s coaching page at www.playtri.com/ryan-siebert, or contact him directly at ryan.siebert@playtri.com.

Meet the Athlete: Cody Tingle

Cody is a Playtri coached athlete who recently finished his first IRONMAN in Cozumel (with a fantastic 1st IM time of 10:33:15) - read on to learn more about his experience!

How did you get started in triathlon, and how long have you been racing?

I got started doing triathlons in 2012. I was an athlete in college and played baseball, once I stopped playing baseball I got very out of shape and gained quite a bit of weight. I was in my 4th year of med school in 2011 and decided to make the decision to start running again and losing all that extra weight to get healthy again. My mother had been doing triathlons for years prior to this so I had been around triathlons watching her, when I moved for residency in 2012 I decided to start doing triathlons with her so I bought a cheap road bike and started cycling for the first time. I did my first triathlon and finished with a terrible time, but I finished it which was a big accomplishment. My swim was a 2:00/m pace, bike was a 19.5mph and run was a 9:30 pace. I told myself at that point that I can do this and I’m a better athlete than most of these guys out here. That next year I trained a lot more on my bike and got faster. Within a couple years I was averaging 23.5mph on bike and running 7:45 pace on run at same event. It felt amazing to see those numbers getting faster as I put more effort into my training and being able to move up the rankings, I’ve been hooked ever since. Now I’m going for podium finishes in local races and being top 10% in the bigger national races.

What do you do when you're not doing triathlon?

So this year I didn’t do much when not training as I trained for my first IRONMAN and it took the vast majority of my free time - but I’m a physician so I’m pretty busy the majority of the day. When I do have free time outside of training, I like to play golf in warm months and deer/duck hunt in winter months. I have 2 kids so I also try to be involved in their activities and doing nighttime routine with them. I also enjoy going out on the weekends having drinks and dancing with my wife (Morgan probably doesn’t approve of this, though, so Morgan forget I said that).

Note: Coach Morgan says an occasional drink and dancing is 100% allowed, as long as you pull any dance moves that put you out of commission the next day!

How long have you been training with Playtri? What's your favorite part of being a Playtri athlete?

I started training with Playtri in April 2021. I decided that I wanted to do an Ironman 70.3 and dedicate training this year to doing one. With that I wanted a bike that was actually set up for me and not something that I bought and tried to fit me after. So went to Playtri and Coach Morgan fitted me on half a dozen different bikes and found a perfect fit. While we were there we spoke about my training and if I had a coach to help focus my training. I had already thought about getting a coach but just hadn’t pulled the trigger on one, I knew of a few from different triathletes. Did some research on Playtri Coaching and decided they had the same goals that I had and specific training for me. Not just some training plan someone has made and just follow it. Anyways, none of the coaches were available to pick me up so Morgan dropped the hammer and was like I’ll train you, let’s go!!! I love how my training plan this year has been specific to me and my abilities and progression. She plans it based on when I’m most available to do certain sessions and gives me flexibility to move them around if I need to. I’m out of town but I did like going to some of the open water swimming sessions on the weekends when I could. Having coaches there and getting some advice and coaching was very helpful. Having my coach nearby to me was important as well as if I needed to come by for something I could. One very important part of being coached by PlayTri is the ability to do research on my running and cycling like lactate testing caloric testing. Also sweat testing was important during those hot months to keep from cramping. I also got very detailed race plans for each race in my nutrition and hydration plans along with setting certain pacing with each section so I didn’t burn out too quickly. All of my training leading up to each event and hopefully peaking at just the right time.

Any big accomplishments this season you can share with us?

YES!!! I had more accomplishments this year than every other year combined and I owe it all to morgan and her dedication to my training.

1. I wanted to PR my local triathlon race, RCT, as this was a benchmark for me to see how I compared to my best year previously. I PR’d it by 5 mins. Went from a 1:30 to a 1:25.

2. On that race I got 2nd place in my age group, my previous best place finish was 10th there.

3. My first event this year was Playtri’s Olympic distance triathlon in May, I got a 3rd place podium finish there. That was the first time I had ever got a podium spot.

4. At the Playtri triathlon, I qualified for USAT Nationals Olympic distance. First time I had ever qualified for any national event.

5. At my local event (River Cities Triathlon), I qualified for USAT Nationals Sprint distance.

6. I completed my very first Ironman 70.3 in Lubbock in June. That was an accomplishment in itself but I also qualified for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships!! That was not expected by me or Morgan.

7. Competed at IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in St George, that was the hardest race I’ve ever done, and I finished in the top 1/3 of my age group (which I was very happy with considering it was invitational only and I very well expected to be at the back of the pack compared to all the other athletes).

8. This is definitely my biggest accomplishment, competing and finishing my very first full IRONMAN!!!! This was at IRONMAN Cozumel in Nov 2021. Had an amazing race, peaked at the absolute best time, felt strong throughout. I had some personal goals of completing swim in under 1:10, did it in 55 minutes. Cycling at 23mph, had a 24.1mph pace till my flat at mile 77. Ended up with a 23.2mph pace still. Finishing in under 11 hrs and while it was still daylight out, finished in 10:33 and it was still daylight as I crossed the finish line. That was such a thrill and a release of emotions that’s hard to describe.

What is your favorite race?

My favorite race this year had to be my full Ironman because it was such a huge accomplishment for me and I just killed it from my perspective and goals. Also being in Cozumel for the race was a cool place to do it at. Swimming in the crystal clear ocean water would get distracting at times watching fish or looking at the coral. Biking along the coast and watching the waves crash on the beach shore. Running down Main Street and having the crowds out there just screaming and cheering you on the entire race was amazing. Crossing the finish line and hearing, “from Shreveport, Louisiana… Cody Tingle, you are an IRONMAN!!!” I’d been waiting to hear that for 9 months so how could it not be my favorite!

What is your favorite piece of equipment you're currently using?

Not even close, my Argon 18 Tri+ Bike. It fits me so well. It’s fast. I love cycling the most out of all 3 anyways and this bike has just pushed me further forward. At Ironman 70.3 Lubbock I average over 24mph. On my local time trials I killed my previous best times. My best was a 25.76mph average.

Most important lesson you've learned from doing triathlon?

Doing proper training, hydration and nutrition. I’ve done races but never really trained specifically for a certain race. I also never even thought about how much to drink, taking electrolytes and using carb fuel during the race. These were all new to me and no doubt made a significant difference in my training and racing. Lesson being that there is so much to learn from knowledgeable people that have been there and done that. Having a coach teach me these things and being open to be coachable is the most important lesson. You have to trust the guidance and coaching being given to you and know it’s only for your benefit.

If you could give new triathletes one piece of advice, what would it be?

To start slow, don’t go try to do an Ironman 70.3 as your first event. Start at some local sprint races and get a feel for it. Having a coach is a huge benefit but to just get started you don’t have to be coached. But talk to people who have been in the sport for years and have numerous races under their belt. There’s so much knowledge out there that if your willingness to ask and listen, will be of so much benefit in training and racing. Also get good equipment, get shoes fitted to your stride and foot strike. Get a bike and have it fitted to you, this will make you actually want to go bike when you feel good on it.

Cody, thanks for sharing and CONGRATS on an awesome first IRONMAN! We’re looking forward to sharing the journey with in 2022.

Learn about all of Playtri’s coaching programs at www.playtri.com/coaching.

Race Weight Happens in the Pre-Season

By Coach Chad Carpenter

It’s common to hear about athletes working to hit their “Race Weight” in the weeks leading up to their big ‘A’ race with the idea that weighing less will make them faster. While there is some consistent correlation that shows faster triathletes having lower body fat percentage1 and lighter runners having faster splits2, I have unfortunate news – dropping weight in the weeks right before your big race is a huge mistake.

THE COMMON PATH IS NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST PATH

Following the last big race of a season, a triathlete will typically enter what is commonly referred to as the Post-Season. This is a period to focus on the physical and mental recovery of the accumulative training leading up the race as well as the race itself. For Ironman athletes, this can last for about 2 – 3 weeks. Following this recovery period, we enter a Pre-Season phase where we will often focus on some of our limiters, maybe work on our aerobic base or high-end speed, but the overall load and training volume is still relatively low. The length of this phase is dependent on when your next ‘a’ race is among other factors, but the typical range is somewhere between 8 – 16 weeks.

After a solid Pre-Season, we then enter another 8 – 16 week ‘Build’ phase where we start increasing the training load and volume. This is when we really try to push that fitness and performance needle. With the exception of intermittent recovery weeks, this load continues to increase until it’s time to taper before the big race. Athletes can struggle to adapt their eating habits enough to compensate for the increase caloric expenditure that is needed for the uptick in training and needed recovery. Even worse, some athletes can even intentionally hold back nutrition in order to hit race weight. They may hit their magical number of weight, but they are going to be quite disappointed come race day.

WHY SHOULD YOU MAINTAIN YOUR WEIGHT BEFORE A BIG RACE

The build phase should be some of the heaviest training loads you will endure. Your body needs to recover from all of this training, and it needs calories to do so. If you are under-fueling your body throughout these hard training days to lose weight, your recovery will suffer. Ignoring this needed recovery long enough can result in prolonged fatigue at best, as well as illness or injury at worst.

Some athletes continue their calorie deficit throughout the race taper with the reasoning of “Well, I’m not training as hard, so I shouldn’t be eating as much”. However, your body is still recovering throughout that taper. The tissue and muscle repair takes days to fully recover. Additionally, your hormonal response can be negatively affected when in a constant calorie

deficit due to the chronic increase in cortisol from the extra stress. If you are trying to drop weight in the few weeks leading up to your race, you are setting yourself up for underperforming after all the hard work you have done.

WHEN AND HOW TO WORK ON BODY COMPOSITION

The good news is there is still a perfect phase of training to work on your body composition, and that time is the Pre-Season. During the Pre-Season, our training loads are much lower than build phases. With the reduced stress on our bodies and more importantly, less recovery needed, we have a much better opportunity to reduce body fat. First and foremost, you need to understand what your body burns in terms of calories. I highly suggest getting tested for your resting metabolic rate as well as your metabolic rate during training. At Playtri, we can measure both and give you the information you need to understand where you are, calorically, on a day-to-day basis.

I also want you to implement two key strategies that not only reduce body fat but also enable you to be a better endurance athlete. Strength training can assist in growing lean muscle and increasing your resting metabolic rate as well as increasing your strength endurance and form throughout a race. Additionally, strategic fasted workouts not only help reduce body fat but also improve the body’s ability to use fat as energy.

TWO STRATEGIES FOR LOSING WEIGHT DURING THE PRE-SEASON

Emphasize strength work two to three times a week. I cannot promote this enough during the Pre-Season. It is a simple fact that muscle is calorically expensive, or in laymen terms, muscle burns fat. The immediate calorie expense of strength training may not be as great as your typical cardio-driven runs or bike rides. However, the repair of muscular tissue increases the metabolic load throughout the day or even days afterward, depending on how stressful the strength session is. While you should be constantly working your stability muscles throughout the entire year, the Pre-Season is a great time to focus on the larger muscle groups in your legs and lats. This will not only help improve your power production needed in triathlon, but you will get more calorie burn from working the larger muscles in comparison to the smaller. If you want extra credit, lift heavy. The greater the strain we place on our muscle, the greater the growth hormone response we will get3. Of course, you should always start with good form and technique when introducing a strength program into your training. Work with a coach if you’re not sure what that looks like or new to strength training.

Implement fasted workouts twice a week. Burning more calories than one consumes is an obvious path to reduced body fat, but utilizing fasted workouts or workouts with low caloric consumption can have additional benefits beyond the direct weight loss. Endurance athletes need to achieve a certain

adaptation to burning fat for energy. The more time we spend training in a carb-deficit state, the more adapted we become to burning fat. With a higher efficiency to utilize fat, athletes will have less of a dependency on carb consumption during a race which is the usual culprit of the dreaded ‘bonk’. However, shifting your fat/carb adaptation takes time and the sooner you start this process, the better, which is why the Pre-Season is a great time to start. Including fasted workouts does come with a few precautions. DO NOT FAST BEFORE EVERY WORKOUT. Constantly training while fasted can have detrimental effects on your hormones in the long term. You should also avoid fasting before any workouts with high stress or hard intervals. Instead, fasted workouts should be targeted for the lower stress workouts. Examples would be 2-hr or less easy bike ride on the bike or a 1-hr or less easy run (think a ‘go-all-day’ kind of pace or heart rate). Do not forget to hydrate with the proper electrolyte concentration. Of course, you need to fuel immediately after the workout. Staying in a fasted-state will hinder your recovery and prolong higher levels of stress hormone in the body.

If you need additional guidance into how to include strength work into your endurance training, please reach out for a consultation or talk to me about one-on-one coaching. Additionally, Playtri has great resources to determine your current metabolic demands in terms of how fat dependent you are and how many carbs you need to consume for a particular race. Checkout the VO2 metabolic testing service that we offer to see where you currently stand and how to better fuel during training and race day. Also, don’t forget to look into the Resting Metabolic Rate Assessment which let’s you know how much carbs and fats your body need regardless of your training or lifestyle.

Coach Chad is a Level 2 Playtri Coach and IRONMAN World Championship qualifier. He brings a strong strength and conditioning background to his coaching programs. Learn more about Coach Chad at www.playtri.com/chad-carpenter.

Understanding Pool Markings: Tri Tips from Coach Jim

For many adult-onset triathletes, swimming is the most challenging discipline of triathlon. Swimming does not come as easily as running or biking, can be fear inducing, and can also be intimidating when you first start pool swimming. Working with a coach is the best way to make improvements as a swimmer. However, to become more comfortable in the pool and make swimming more enjoyable, it is helpful to understand the different markings of a pool.

There are two distances for competitive swimming pools; short course and long course. The standard short course pool is 25 yards (or 25 meters) long and has 6-10 lanes. Short course pools are most commonly found in public swimming locations and high schools. Long course pools are 50 meters long with 8-10 lanes and normally found on college campuses and higher-end swimming facilities. Although the length of pools vary, the markings in and around the pool do not. Lane lines, backstroke flags, swimming lines, and turn targets are the four symbols that can help you in your training.

Lane lines are the small plastic buoys connected to each other by a wire cable that separate each lane. In both short and long course pools, the floats will change color at approximately 15 feet from the wall, alerting you that the wall is getting near This is particularly helpful for breast stroke and butterfly since your head is consistently coming above the water line in these strokes. If you know how many strokes it takes to get to the wall from 15 feet out then you can keep your head down and focus on your stroke instead of looking up to make sure you don’t hit the wall.

Likewise, backstroke flags are positioned above the water 15 feet from the wall so that you don’t need to look behind your shoulder as you approach the wall. If you know how many strokes it takes to get to the wall from 15 feet out, then you can count the number of strokes at 15 feet out, allowing yourself to stay more streamlined and focused.

But unless you are planning to swim backstroke, breast stroke, or butterfly in your next triathlon, then you will be spending much of your time looking at the swimming line (or black line) on the bottom of your lane. If you are sharing the lane with another swimmer, then this lane can be used to divide equally. If you are planning to join a lane that already has a swimmer, please don’t just jump in and start swimming. Sit down on your butt and dangle both legs in the lane, off to the side near the rope. If they don’t acknowledge you, then get all the way into the water and stand in the corner of the lane. Only start once they notice you.

And if you are sharing the lane with multiple swimmers, then you can swim in a rotating, counter clockwise pattern. Essentially keeping to the right of black line. Enter the pool in the same way and if you feel another swimmer tap your foot while swimming, it is a sign that they want to poss. Simply pull into the corner of the lane when you reach the wall and let them pass.

If you are lucky enough to have the lane by yourself, then you can use the black line to help you swim in a straight line and even to work on improving your stroke. For example, if you have a tendency to cross over your body with your arm, then make sure your hand enters the water and pulls back without crossing the black line. And if you have a tendency to not swim in a straight line in open water, then you can work on that by starting above the black line, closing your eyes, and taking 5-6 strokes before opening your eyes again. Each time working to stay on top of that black line.

Turn Targets and the “T” at the end of each black line are meant to help you gauge the distance to the end of the pool during freestyle. Each “T” stops about 5 feet from the wall, alerting you to take 1-2 more strokes before beginning your turn. And Turn Targets are especially helpful in doing flip turns as they provide a mark for your feet as you initiate your flip turn.

Knowing how to use the markings in and around the pool (plus following polite, pool etiquette) can make swimming an enjoyable and help you improve as a swimmer.

Coach Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 3 and USAT Level 1 Coach. He coaches age group athletes of all ability levels from first time finishers to IRONMAN World Championship qualifiers. Learn more about Jim at www.playtri.com/jim-rowe.

Coach Chad's Holiday Wish List

#1 Garmin Watch, specifically the Fenix series with sapphire face.

I'm always a huge fan of the Garmin watches. The forerunner 935s and 945s are constantly at the top of most 'best tri watches' lists, but I prefer the Fenix models. I have a Fenix 5X now, and I'm waiting for some hopeful holiday pricing to get the 6X pro or for Garmin to get off their butt and release the Fenix 7 series already. The solar models are cool, BUT if you are like me and bang your watch on what seems like everything, you should go with the sapphire face instead of the solar for a little extra protection. While Wahoo and Polar have their own somewhat comparable models, it's hard to beat the features of the Garmin models and what seems like reliable, seamless integration with all the new upcoming technology. Did you get some fancy Form goggles? Garmin syncs with it. How about those new CORE body temperature sensors? Yup, Garmin syncs with that too. It does all the things and pairs with all the things. They are not cheap, but you get what you pay for. Shop Garmin at Playtri.

#2 Hoka's Carbon X2

If you want to increase your cushion without sacrificing your run speed, look no further than Hoka's Carbon X2. These things are super light and pack plenty of cushion for marathon-distance runs. The stack is a little high if you are new to Hoka, but the heel-to-toe drop is fairly mild at 5mm. After a session or two with these, you will barely notice the taller stack. Your feet will feel great and your splits will be even better. Shop HOKA at Playtri.

#3 Wahoo Kickr

Let's face it. Cycling in the cold during the winter months suck. Fortunately, it is a great time to take your ride indoors and work on some controlled power efforts. The Wahoo Kickr is one of the best smart trainers you can get. No calibration needed, pairs with just about every device or platform (Zwift, Rouvy, etc.), and fits about every bike frame. It's also fairly quiet, especially compared to the more traditional fluid and magnetic brake trainers. By the time the warmer spring and summer months roll around, you will be hitting the road with more power. Shop Wahoo at Playtri.

#4 Swiftwick Socks - absolutely the best!

Get all these items and more at Playtri! Not sure what your athlete wants/needs? Gift cards are always available. Shop Now!

Coach Raina's Holiday Wish List

Bands make EVERYTHING better. From being able to warm up when race day is chaotic, to adding in more resistance training into your program, bands help us with prehab, rehab, and strength building. Something like the Finis Dryland Cord (at link below) is key to keeping the body loosened up before performing. You can also incorporate mini bands into your running dynamics! Find these on PlaytriStore.com: https://playtristore.com/products/finis-dryland-cord-medium-resistance-stretch-cord

Having trouble maintaining hand and arm form in the water? The Finis Agility Paddle can become a great friend! Small enough that it doesn't add a lot of pressure on the shoulder, these paddles help athletes understand how to properly position their hand in the water to increase the efficiency of their "catch", while also giving your training a little extra "oomph". Check them out here: https://playtristore.com/products/finis-agility-paddles

An absolute game changer to my run training, the Orange Mud Endurance Pack has mad anything from a 5k to a 50k comfortable and safe! My favorite feature? Running with a liter of water on my back with no movement in the pack, meaning no chafe! Wherever your feet take you, you don't have to worry about having enough water or nutrition with you. No more rerouting to find water fountains or a convenience store, the Endurance Pack has enough storage to comfortably bring phones, keys, extra water pouches, all your nutrition, and even has a safety whistle built in. I never go running without it! https://playtristore.com/products/orange-mud-gear-vest-2l

And because I love a little “surprise” in my stocking, I hope Santa hits me up with some awesome Goodr Sunglasses! They are priced just right and I would love to add to my collection.

Find all these items and more at PlaytriStore.com or visit our stores and get great advice from our sales team!

Coach Jim’s Holiday Wish List

The holidays are approaching and that means it is time to start thinking about treating that special triathlon-loving person in your life with some fun gifts. Here’s a few recommendations from the perspective of a coach.

•   Coaching — If you are looking to make improvements in your training and racing, a coach is the best triathlon related expense you can make. For over 20 years, Playtri Coaching has worked with new triathletes and those looking to qualify for National and World Championships.

•   Power Meter — Outside of a heart rate monitor, this is the best tool for learning how to properly train in specific zones and pace a race.

•   Body Glide and Chamois Creme — No athlete likes chafing and you don’t like to hear them talk about it. An excellent stocking stuffer.

•   Swiftwick Socks — A Triathlete and Coach favorite!

•   Smart Bike Trainer — For those long or fun rides when it is too dark or too cold out. These work great with third party apps like Zwift or Rouvy.

•   Gravel Bikes — During the pandemic we saw top end triathletes entering Gravel races to supplement their triathlon training. Gravel riding is a fun and challenging way to get your base miles in.

•   Playtri Race Pass — Triathletes love to race. Enough said.

•   Snorkel — a must have for triathletes/swimmers of all ages!

There you have it! I hope this list gives you a bit of inspiration for the holidays. Have a happy holiday season.

Transition Season: Tri Tips from Coach Jim

Unless you are racing some of the late season Ironman races (Cozumel, Indian Springs) or a late season marathon (Dallas), now is a good time to downshift a bit from training to reset yourself for the 2022 season. I’m not a big fan of the term “offseason” because, honestly, most endurance athletes cannot turn off their passion and enjoyment for their sport. “Transition season” provides a better term, and one I use regularly in conversation with athletes, because a transition season is about helping us shift our focus from this past “in-season” to the next “in-season.”

For most of the long distance athletes (Ironman athletes and marathoners) I work with, we start their transition season immediately after their last “A” (most important) race of the season and it can last anywhere between 2-8 weeks. Depending on the athlete, their transition season will include any or all of the following guidelines:

1. Be active, but don’t train. This portion of the transition season is all about recovering physically, mentally, and personally. This lasts between 1-2 weeks. Some of my athletes still swim, bike, or run, but others don’t. Instead of being an athlete that is training, be a person exercising to feel good. They do yoga, sleep in, go for walks, get massages, non-endurance sports, and reconnect with family and friends who have supported them this past season. The focus is on recovery. Do whatever will help you recover and be ready to start training again, but don’t overdo it.

1. Get a massage and/or see a PT. Address any nagging injuries with various tools (yoga, physical therapy, foam rolling, compression boots, massage guns, a professional massage, etc.) so that you can get into your next training blog as injury free as possible.
   

2. Start back slowly with purpose. After your 1-2 weeks of being active but not training, it is a good idea to start back slowly with purpose. Swim with an emphasis on improving your form instead of getting in the yardage. Bike with an emphasis on improving your bike handling skills and pedal stroke. Run with an emphasis on increasing your cadence and improving your form. This will help lay the groundwork for the next in-season.
   

3. Hit the weights. Let’s face it, most endurance athletes won’t win a bodybuilder competitions. However strength training helps improve power and efficiency. Spend a little less time swimming, biking, and running and more time strength training. 2-3 strength training sessions a week is a good goal for age group athletes. If you haven’t done strength training before, or it’s been a while, reach out to a coach or a personal trainer who has experience working with endurance athletes. And please don’t forget to continue strength training during the season. Only doing strength training during transition season is better than not at all, but you’ll see more improvements if you can continue it throughout the next in-season 1-2 times per week.
   

4. Practice mindful eating. It is not unheard of to actually gain a little bit of weight while training for long distance endurance events. And that’s okay. Your body needs the calories to support what it is doing. During the transition season, though, you want to be mindful of what you are eating and how it will effect your upcoming in-season goals. If you want to improve your body composition, then set the routines during the transition season to be successful.
   

5. Last but not least, have fun! Unless you are a professional who is paid for athletic performances, ultimately we amateurs do endurance sports because we enjoy them. Enter a low-stress, fun run or bike rally and enjoy moving your body.
   

Embrace the time away from in-season training and focus on recovering and strengthening your body and mind so that you can come back better and stronger next season.

Coach Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 3 and USAT Level 1 Coach. He coaches age group athletes of all ability levels from first time finishers to IRONMAN World Championship qualifiers. Learn more about Jim at www.playtri.com/jim-rowe.

Consistency is Key

We originally shared this article in 2018, but the message remains true today. Consistency IS key.

Coaches and athletes,

I wanted to take a moment of your day to highlight an athlete and topic that I am extremely passionate about.

The athlete is Amber Motsney - many of you know Amber already, and that she is a mom of three with a full-time job, and a husband (Mike) who also has a full-time job. In 2017, Amber completed the Galveston 70.3, and she told me 2018 would be her year to do Ironman (she had selected IMTX for her race due to travel logistics), and we began an individual coaching relationship in November, giving us six months to build to IM. I'll get back to Amber in a moment.

The topic is consistency. Consistency creates cumulative load, which is something I often talk about in reference to athletes. In my mind, there are essentially two types of load: short-term (load from a single workout) and cumulative (load built over weeks, months, years, etc.)

Athletes tend to enjoy focusing on the short-term load - that super hard, super long or super fast workout that they did that they're really proud of. It looks cool on social media and sounds cool when they tell their friends/training buddies about it. These workouts can be great, but only if they are a part of a larger process, meaning that the athlete can:

• Successfully complete the workout as planned (the one exception here is workouts at the end of key load workout chunks - 2 to 3 days - when athletes may struggle to get HR up)

• Successfully recover from it (i.e. not get injured or sick, and still able to successfully complete the rest of the workouts/load planned for that week/month)

Cumulative load, on the other hand, is what actually results in improved fitness. Cumulative load results from day in day out getting the workout done as planned (consistency) - this can (and usually should) include faster/harder sessions, but it also includes long/slow and short/easy sessions. There are a few key components to being successful in maintaining consistency and thus building an athlete's cumulative load, aka fitness:

• Workouts that fit the athlete's schedule (i.e. that will not be impossible to do due to work, family or other commitments)

• Workouts that push the athlete, but not beyond their current abilities (i.e. that will not be impossible to do because they are demanding something that athlete is incapable of)

• RECOVERY RECOVERY RECOVERY (the unsung hero of elite and high level age group athletes) - going to the chiropractor, getting massage, rolling with the foam roller/ball, eating and timing nutrient intake properly, hydrating properly, getting sufficient sleep (7+ hours/night), taking advantage of compression and cryo therapies, etc.

• Communication between Coach and athlete about how athlete is handling workouts, so adjustments can be made before the athlete digs a hole that results in one really great, hard workout (or one week, or one month of really great, had workouts), but prevents workouts for the foreseeable future, which are crucial to cumulative load built over time.

• A little luck - I won't lie, ideal training conditions require a little luck at times, but there is so much the athlete and the coach can do to control outcomes that this is not something I feel it is very useful to focus on, though we do have to acknowledge it.

So, getting back to Amber - Amber is one where we have really gotten to see the "magic" of cumulative load. She has been extremely consistent in communicating availability so realistic workouts can be assigned, and then doing the workouts she has committed to doing (or asking for substitutions if things go sideways the day of the workout). She has communicated when areas are unusually tight or sore, or when she is feeling fatigued so we could make minor (and sometimes major) adjustments that allowed us to still get the overall load we needed, without digging a hole (we once rescheduled a key workout weekend based solely on her feedback that likely would have derailed her training if she had tried to "push through"). She has taken advantage of compression boots, chiro and massage to keep her body mobile and activated following hard sessions. All of this has required a lot of discipline and focus from Amber, but the magic has been in the improvements we have seen over 5 months of training.

Amber is now one of the most fat efficient athletes I have ever coached. She will be able to replace every calorie of carbohydrate she burns off during the bike on race day by eating 1.5 gels an hour. We have almost zero concerns about bonking on the run.

• Her power in Training Pace (Zone 2-3) has likely gone up by 30-40 watts (unfortunately we did not have power when we started, but based on speed we were estimating she was around 100-120 in this zone, and she is now comfortably holding 140-160 in low TP (Zone 2).

• Amber was recovering from a long-term run injury when we started, which she has now not only overcome, but has really crushed as she is now running 3-5 hours a week at faster speeds than she had previously.

As we can see - this isn't actually "magic," but it feels pretty magical when everything is finally coming together!

Great work, Amber, and to everyone - consistency is king! Take care of your body, keep your focus, and stay the course!

Learn more about Playtri's various coaching options at: playtri.com/coachinghome/

VO2 Testing: Tri Tips from Coach Jim

Eliminating guesswork is one of the best ways to improve your racing as a triathlete. Race day can be an incredibly stressful day if you show up asking: how hard should I go? how much do I need to drink? how much do I need to eat? how much sodium do I need to consume? At yet, many triathletes show up on race day without a well-thought out plan. This is why Playtri offers so many different kinds of performance testing.

For our individually coached athletes, we require blood lactate testing so that we can determine your heart rate and power zones accurately. We offer advanced sweat testing so that athletes know how much sodium they need to consumer per hour during their training and racing. These two tests alone provide an excellent starting point for athletes. But if you have time-oriented or aggressive goals in short course and long course racing, then doing a Vo2 calorie expenditure test will help tremendously.

It is important to know that Vo2 calorie expenditure testing is not the same as a Vo2 max test. Vo2 calorie expenditure testing provides how many calories an athlete burns at various heart rates and how many of those calories burned are from fat and carbohydrates. Since all triathletes (even the skinniest ones out there) have enough fat stores to provide energy, we look primarily at the carbohydrate side of the results to help determine how many carbohydrates need to be eaten during the bike or run portion of the race and at what heart rate we cannot keep eating more. Here’s an example…

Meet Triathlete Todd. He’s an experienced triathlete who has recently started working with a Playtri Coach and he’s got some big goals that include qualifying for 70.3 worlds in the next year or so. He has experience racing all distances and he has consistently consumed approximately 250 calories per hour on the bike in his training and racing. However, he regularly fades on the run in any race longer than a Sprint. His heart rate zones are: Training Pace is 140-160 BPM, Race Pace is 160-175, and Hard is 175+.

After doing a Vo2 calorie expenditure test on the bike, he learns that he isn’t eating enough on the bike and that he needs to keep an eye on his heart rate so that it doesn’t go above 160 BPM. He learns that if his heart rate gets up to 165 bpm, then he starts to burn 500 carb calories per hour, while he burns close to 300-350 calories per hour in the 145-160 bpm range. Todd regularly fades on the run because he either pushes too hard on the bike and can’t replace all those carb calories OR he just isn’t eating enough. Armed with this knowledge, Todd and his coach can now make a race day plan that will help him race to his abilities.

So what’s the take away from this? Here are the bullet points:

• Make race day less stressful by having a well thought out plan that includes Nutrition & Hydration.

• Use all the available testing to eliminate guesswork.

• Vo2 calorie expenditure testing provides you a breakup of your calorie expenditure (fat & carbohydrates) at different heart rates.

Learn more and schedule a Vo2 test at www.playtri.com/testing.

Coach Jim is a USAT Level I Certified Coach, UESCA Certified Triathlon Coach and a Playtri Level 3 Coach. Learn more about Coach Jim and contact him at www.playtri.com/jim-rowe.

Racing IRONMAN: Tips from the Playtri Coaches

Whether you’re racing IRONMAN for the first time, or it’s your first attempt at the 140.6, these tips will hold you in good stead.

Start figuring out nutrition and hydration at least 3-4 months in advance

This is a process that can take a lot of time and testing. Figuring out how much your body needs and the best way to get it in looks different for every athlete. Test, assess, adjust and test again!

Test on course nutrition products

If on course product is listed on the race website, get your hands on some and try it in training so you know what you can (and can’t) grab if your plan goes sideways.

Learn how to pump your tires and safety check your bike

Race day mechanics are not there to perform basic maintenance on your bike, so make sure you know how to air up your own tires and check that your bike is safe to ride on race morning. If something isn’t working as normal - then it’s time to ask for help.

Learn how to change a flat

There is always race support on the bike course, but depending on how many athletes have mechanical issues athletes may have to wait an hour or longer for assistance to arrive. Knowing how to quickly change a tube (and having the tools to do it) will lower your stress on race day.

Test drive all your gear, then test it again

Try everything before race day. No complaining if you use something new and it backfires!

Make a mental “map” of your race

Review the course and choose specific execution goals for each event based on your skill, fitness, goals and the demands of the course. Then choose a key word or phrase for each event to keep you focused on performing your best. Practice using these in training.

Make a pre-race itinerary

Map out the days leading up to your event to ensure you check all of your pre-race boxes, and reduce stress. Include times and locations for all planned activities.

Read the athlete guide

Really - there’s some important info in there. Race day schedule details, pre-race check in guidelines, rules, and lots more. IRONMAN events generally have 1000+ athletes participating, so there is very little leeway for adjustments/exceptions on race weekend - reading the athlete guide can help you avoid missing crucial deadlines, course information and rule updates.

Race day hydration and carb loading starts a week before the race

Start hydration intentionally and having a few more grams of carbs each day starting about 5-7 days prior to the race. Pre-race pasta dinners will only weigh you down, and hydration doesn’t happen in a day!

Bring extra goggles and anti-fog

Broken or foggy goggles on race day can create unnecessary stress and challenges. Bring at least two additional pairs (bonus points if they give you different options for tints, mirroring, etc.) and an anti-fog solution that you can apply if needed.

Don’t forget the sunscreen and glide

A guidelines that requires no additional explanation. You know what the consequences are.

Minimize time at expo

Athletes can easily spend hours wandering the expo on race weekend. Most race expos are outdoors, meaning athletes are on their feet in the sun during this time - not a great recipe for feeling fresh on race day. Try to combine necessary activities - packet pickup, pre-race meeting, bike check-in, etc. - to reduce total time out in the elements.

Bring your recovery tools and use them

If you love to use your foam roller/compression boots/massage gun/etc. before competitions or long training sessions - bring it! Work time into your pre-race itinerary for these activities.

Know your heart rate zones - trust them

Heart rate on race day can let you know if you’re making smart choices before your body lets you know more forcefully. Heart rate doesn’t lie - know your zones and stay where it’s sustainable.

Make conservative choices early, take risks at the end

Everyone feels good at the beginning of the race. Stick to the plan and take risks when you get closer to the end - it will pay off when you pass everyone who wasn’t as smart at the beginning!

The solution to every problem is to slow down

It’s tough but true. If you’ve exhausted every other possible solution, suck it up and pull back the pace until heart rate and feel recover.

Remember to smile - you paid to be here

If you’re not having any fun, you’re doing it wrong. Remember you paid for this long day, and enjoy pushing the limits of what your body is capable of - and perhaps discovering something new.

Questions? Reach out to one of our contributing coaches:

Jim Rowe - jim.rowe@playtri.com

Ryan Siebert - ryan.siebert@playtri.com

Callie Guenther - callie.guenther@playtri.com

Swim Strong at Your Next IRONMAN

Despite being the shortest of the three events in an IRONMAN race, the swim consistently seems to generate the most anxiety (and oftentimes frustration) for the vast majority of athletes.

The most common concerns we see are:

1.      I’m afraid that swimming in open water is unsafe

2.      I’m worried I won’t finish in the cutoff

3.      I can’t seem to get faster in open water

Today we’re going to break these down and talk about some practical changes you can make to have a stronger swim in your next IRONMAN race.

Fear of swimming in open water

Many athletes experience anxiety about swimming in open water. Sometimes it dissipates after the first couple of swims, and sometimes it persists for years. It’s important to acknowledge that open water, whether it’s a pond or an ocean, isn’t our normal environment as humans, so it’s normal for our brains to produce an adverse reaction intended to promote caution in response to perceived danger. Sometimes this reaction manifests as fear of encountering fish/alligators/sharks/etc., fear of running out of energy before the end of the swim, and at other times as a vaguer fear of the unknown. Either way, it’s important to acknowledge any fear or anxiety (versus try to ignore it – this virtually never works) so that you can take practical steps to combat it.

If you experience fear of swimming in open water, try following these steps:

1.      Pick races with calm waters and rolling swim starts. The old adage “train your weaknesses, race your strengths” is good guidance – find swims where you’ll deal with less surprises/people/obstacles/etc. until you begin to overcome your fears.

2.      Swim in open water as frequently as you reasonably can. Ignoring it until race day really isn’t the best plan – we promise. Deal with your fears in a low stress situation prior to dealing with them in a high stress situation (like on race day).

3.      When you first get in the water, do five “bobs” – slowly dunk under water and release your breath, then come up and take a quick breath to refill before going under and repeating. The rhythm of breathing can help calm your nervous system while you acclimate to the water. After your bobs do a very relaxed freestyle, breathing every 2-3 strokes, to continue acclimating to the conditions. Don’t rush these steps – spiking your adrenaline first thing upon entering the water will only exacerbate any anxiety.

4.      If you can’t warm up in the water prior to a race or workout, do a dryland warm up, then spend 45-60 seconds seated with eyes closed just focusing on slow, controlled breathing. Visualize yourself dealing with any obstacles you may encounter during the swim calmly and effectively. Then, if you need to, take the first 5 minutes of the swim a little easier in place of the warm up, until you find your rhythm.

5.      Finally, remember that race courses typically have a great deal of boat support on the course – if you need help, it is generally in close proximity. Remember that you can always give a wave for assistance, and you are even allowed to rest hanging onto a boat or kayak, and still complete the race as long as the boat isn’t assisting you in making forward progress.

Fear of missing the cutoff time

It’s common for newer/slower swimmers racing IRONMAN or IRONMAN 70.3 distances to have concerns about making the swim cutoff times. These events generally have a cutoff time of 1 hour 10 minutes (70.3) or 2 hours 20 minutes (full) that is equivalent to swimming about 3:19/100y, depending on how well the course is measured (usually quite well).

First, some “real talk” for athletes with this concern. If you are currently swimming 3:00/100y or slower in the pool, you have real cause for concern, and this needs to be a priority for you if you want to be confident in your ability to finish on race day. Don’t panic, but DO find an experienced triathlon swim coach (use virtual options if that is all that is available to you!) and start working on it today. You might be surprised how quickly you can improve with some focused form work. Plan to swim at least twice a week, and focus 100% on form/technique – it’s ok to do your 2000y for the day as all 25’s if all of those 25’s are with great form. That’s how good muscle memory is formed – similar to runners who start out with short run/walk intervals. As you are able to maintain form, keep lengthening those intervals until you get to 500y, then you can do 500’s with rest in between as a your “endurance set” moving forward. Just don’t forget to always check back in on form by working with a coach, swimming with a swim snorkel, looking at video of yourself, doing drills, etc. FORM IS FAST!

If this concern stems from your pool speed not translating to the open water, then it is likely that you need to improve your sighting and body position. Practice forward sighting in your pool sets until it becomes more natural (make sure you keep your hips and legs high while sighting, and realign your head after each sight), then swim open water every chance you get and practice applying the skill! If you have other athletes to swim with, practice swimming next to another athlete and breathing towards him or her every stroke cycle – in this way you can allow another athlete to sight while you just focus on swimming well.

Struggling to improve speed in open water

There are two categories of athletes here – the first consists of athletes who can’t seem to improve their speed period, and the second are athletes who are improving in the pool, but can’t seem to translate that speed to open water.

For athletes in the first group (struggling to improve speed period) here are the things our coaches look for when we work with athletes wanting to get faster in the swim:

1.      First – is improving swim speed really the best use of our time for an IRONMAN race? This is always the first question we have to ask, because the time investment for improving the swim has a much lower ROI than for bike and run when we look at the bigger picture of the race. Make sure you won’t get better use of your time focusing on the bike or run.

2.      Body position – We want the head/shoulders/hips/heels to be consistently touching/breaking the surface throughout the swim, because this means that the body is presenting a smaller surface area that has to “break through” the water. When the legs start to sink, the frontal surface area of the swimmer increases dramatically, greatly increasing the propulsion needed from the arms to move forward. Legs and hips can be lifted both by increasing the kick, and by activating the core. Practice while using a swim snorkel first, then add in the breath as that is the portion of the stroke where body position most frequently suffers.

3.      Stroke – Athletes should always be pushing back against the water, not down. I encourage our athletes to envision a series of walls that they are swimming over, reaching out and planting their hand on the next wall in front of them with each stroke, then pulling themselves over the wall/pushing it back behind them. The elbow should stay level with or just below the shoulder (not dropping down) until the last possible moment during the stroke. If you are using proper form, you should feel activation in your lats (muscles over your shoulder blades that wrap down around your sides just below your arm pits).

4.      Training sets – as mentioned above, don’t do long intervals in training just to do long intervals. Do intervals that allow you to maintain great form, and then do them with increasingly less rest and/or increasingly lengthen them. As you get stronger you will need to do speed work (shorter/faster intervals), but beware – when many athletes think “fast” they lose their form entirely, and just work their arms and legs as quickly as possible. Often this results in significantly higher effort to go the same speed or only slightly faster – and in some cases slower! Remember that form is fast, and focus on putting more power behind your strokes with slightly higher turnover (rate of arm movement) to increase speed.

For athletes in the second group who have the speed they need for their goals when swimming in the pool, but can’t seem to translate it to open water speed, following are a few potential causes.

1.      You have open water or race anxiety, which impacts your ability to focus on good form/activation the same way that you do in training, and increases heart rate without increasing speed. In this case refer back to our first two common concerns.

2.      You have fantastic turns and streamlines in the pool – and there are no walls in open water. This is probably the least common cause for speed disparity in open water, but for athletes coming from a swimming background, it’s not unheard of. In competitive pool swimming turns and especially streamlines are a significant source of speed that can “hide” a weaker swim. To test your “true” open water speed, don’t streamline more than 8-10 feet per length (or swim in a long course pool!), and see how your times match up – if you see a significant decrease in speed, then it’s time to work on your stroke and fitness.

3.      Training sets – all of your pool work is steady/endurance-based. Open water rarely allows for consistent speed or effort. At the very least you are having sharp spikes in propulsion working to get up to speed after turning the buoy, and it’s likely that interruptions from other swimmers, chop and currents also make inconsistent effort a reality of your open water races. To help this challenge, work fast 25’s into your longer sets so that your body learns to recover from harder efforts while continuing to move forward at a steady speed.

4.      You can’t swim a straight line. There are no lines to follow in open water, so being able to maintain a reasonably straight course is crucial to race speed. We first learn to do this by forward sighting – lifting just the eyes (not the entire face) up out of the water briefly before rolling into the side breath (you can see a demonstration at https://www.playtri.com/aquatics-coach-tips). Most swimmers need to sight every 6-12 strokes (or every 3-6 stroke cycles) to maintain a straight line. Any time you are swimming alone in a race, you should be sure you are forward sighting consistently to avoid going off course. However, as we’ll discuss in #3, we hope you aren’t swimming alone…

5.      You see other swimmers as obstacles instead of resources. Smart open water swimming includes utilizing other swimmers to reduce the need for forward sighting, and to provide a draft in the water. You will not be able to execute this without practicing it extensively in advance. Try the following progression (over the course of multiple training sessions, for best results) with a partner – first, practice swimming side by side, breathing towards each other every stroke cycle to stay together. As you get more comfortable, have one person do all the forward sighting each interval while the other person just sights off of them at the breath, instead of sighting forward. Play with the drill by having the leader (person forward sighting) give a couple of fast “attacks” trying to drop the follower. Once you are comfortably following the other athlete, take turns “tucking in” to the leader’s draft – swimming with the follower’s head adjacent to the leader’s hip, with only about 12-18 inches separating them. Repeat the drills above, trying to stay on the hip without interrupting the leader’s stroke. Both of these tactics will seem inefficient and even constricting at first – once they are mastered, they will take your open water racing to another level.

Ultimately, open water swimming rewards athletes who are strong, confident and adaptable. Identify your weaknesses and put time in prior to your goal races to ensure you can enter the water confident in your ability to achieve the goal. If you aren’t experiencing the improvement you’d like, find an experienced triathlon swim coach who can help you be more intentional and efficient with the time you are putting in.

Morgan Hoffman is the Head Coach of Playtri, and a USAT Level II / Youth & Juniors Certified Coach. She currently coaches Team Playtri Elite, official USAT High Performance Team, and a number of individual athletes in distances ranging from Sprints to IRONMAN. Learn more about Coach Morgan at www.playtri.com/morgan.