Training for your First IRONMAN

Training for your First Ironman

Congratulations! Perhaps you have signed up for your first full Ironman or you are thinking about it, either way it’s a big, exciting endeavor that requires proper planning so that you can maximize your training and achieve your goal. As a coach who has helped many triathletes complete their first Ironman races and even qualify for Ironman World Championship, here are my pointers for getting ready for your first Ironman.

Commit to consistency

Training for a full Ironman takes a good amount of time that requires you to be committed and consistent. And that training time means time away other things, such as evening events, friends, and even family time. The commitment to consistent training requires that you have the support of every one in your support team.

Ultimately it comes down to a decision. Do you want to be an Ironman or not? If yes, then you need to commit to the work, day in and day out. If no, then consider signing up for a shorter race. Shorter races don’t make you less of a triathlete. Shorter races make you a different triathlete. Not every triathlete needs to (or can) do a full Ironman.  And that’s okay. But if you sign up for an Ironman, then you need to be ready to take the time and do the work.

Win the Morning

Early morning workouts are a good backbone for Ironman training. If you have a full personal life or a busy work life or both, then you know how tired you can be in the afternoon or evening. If your long training days are on the weekends, then waking up early during the week to do 60-90 minutes of training before life gets going is a good goal. Just know that if you plan to wake up early to train, you need to go to bed early and it is beneficial to set your training gear, nutrition, and hydration out before you go to bed.

Nail the Basics

If you can do the following things consistently, then you are doing better than most triathletes. This is very simple, but it is not easy.

1. Daily nutrition & hydration — eat healthy 80% of the time, eat for fun 20% of the time. Supporting your training sessions with proper fueling an hydration is key, stay hydrated throughout the day, and get in nutrition immediately after your training sessions. 

2. Prioritize sleep and recovery — Aim for at least 7 hours a night, 8+ is better. While you sleep, your body is producing human growth hormone and repairing your body. 

3. Strength training 2x a week (most of the time) — For endurance athletes, strength training isn’t about building bulk, it is about improving neural pathways and building muscular endurance. Strength training can be part of your regular workouts: riding or running up hill; big gear, low cadence work on the bike trainer, and swimming with paddles. A lot can be done with a pull up bar, 25 pound dumbbells, mini bands, and dryland swim cords. Include exercises such as pull ups, squats, hamstring curls, lunges, push ups, and a lot of core work.

4. Mobility work (every day) — You can only train and race as well as you can move. Regular daily work with a foam roller and massage gun and dynamic warm ups and warm downs around your workouts make positive impacts on being able to do the training you need to do.

Fix your weaknesses

I have coached athletes who have signed up for an Ironman without a bike and/or unable to swim. If you have an obvious weakness then it needs to be addressed really early and often. For these athletes, we immediately worked with our bike fitters to find a good bike and we had regular one-on-one swim sessions and enrolled in the Swim Foundations class.

Work with a coach

A good triathlon coach is well worth the financial investment. A good triathlon coach ought to tell you if your Ironman goal is realistic based on your schedule, lifestyle, and strength/weaknesses. Your coach should also be able to make you a very good training program that is adaptable, fits into your schedule, and stretches you as an athlete. Your coach should also help you determine your heart rate and power zones, guide you in nutrition & hydration practices, and give you the resources and tools to help you flatten the learning curve when it comes to long course racing.

Congratulations again on signing up for an Ironman! If you have any questions about training and racing Ironman or you are interested in coaching, feel free to reach out to me at jim.rowe@playtri.com. 

Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 4 Coach and Coach Education Lead, a USAT LI Certified Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer 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.

Performance Testing Makes You a Better Athlete - Here's Why

Back in 2019, Playtri had the privilege of hosting a group ride and Q&A session with Craig “Crowie” Alexander (3x Ironman World Champion, 2x Ironman 70.3 World Champion). The group ride was, of course, fun and well attended, but the best part of the evening was the Q&A session. Craig talked quite a bit about his approach to training, which offered fascinating insight into how one of the top performers in our sport was able to have such a successful career. Two things he said in particular have stuck with me over the years since that event.

The first: “Don’t get injured. Don’t get sick.” And the second (related to the first): “Use all available tests to help you succeed.”

If we wish to have solid performances in endurance sports we need to stay consistent in our training. When we get injured or get sick, we cannot stay as consistent. Depending on the severity of the injury or illness, we may even need to completely shut down our training and racing for weeks or months.

As a coach the past four years and a competitive age group triathlete the past 18 years, I’ve observed that often injury and illness can come from our inherent desire to get faster as endurance athletes. We know the goal is to be faster, so we train harder. We swim faster and longer. We do intervals on the bike trainer or enter into Zwift races on a weekly basis. We do intervals on the track or mile repeats with minimal rest. We lift heavy and attempt complex movements in the gym. And we may see some short-term gains (like I did when I was doing this type of training consistently early in my triathlon years) but we also expose ourselves to an increased risk of illness and injury. Which, sadly, I also experienced and forced me to take months off from the sport.

This is where performance testing is very helpful for every endurance athlete - age group and elite. Performance testing (along with working with a coach) can eliminate the majority of the guesswork in your training and racing. Performance testing allows you to follow the KISS rule: Keep It Simple and Systematic. Depending on the test you can learn: the best heart rate and power zones for different types of workouts and races; the amount of fat and carbs your body burns during a specific type of workout; how much sodium you lose in your sweat; and how many calories your body needs to function during the day without damaging your metabolic system. Performance testing gives you a strong knowledge of what your body’s current abilities and functionality are, so that you can make informed decisions with your coach about the best training to reach your racing goals.

Playtri offers a variety of performance testing that can be scheduled here - here’s a quick run-down:

Blood Lactate Testing for Bike and Run:

• Test with a 45-60 minute exercise protocol that includes fingertip capillary samples (blood samples) that are instantly analyzed to determine blood lactate content at the time of the sample. We’ve been doing this for over 20 years and use a proprietary testing protocol that is based on previously proven principles, and has been backed up by our in-house research and testing.

• This test determines your individual heart rate zones for a specific activity, like running or cycling (you should always do a separate test for each activity type). Also includes power zones for athletes riding with power.

• We recommend athletes have this test updated every 6-12 months as zones can shift depending on the volume and intensity of an athlete’s training load over time.

Vo2 Calorie Expenditure Testing:

• Uses a method known as “indirect calorimetry” to determine fat and carbohydrate burn during a specific activity by analyzing expired air with the use of a metabolic cart. Athletes wear a mask connected to the metabolic analyzer while completing a 15-24 minute protocol.

• This is one of our “secret” weapons for long course athletes, those looking to lose weight, and those looking maximize recovery nutrition protocol for high level training.

• We recommend doing this at the beginning and end of a training cycle for a goal - the longer the goal race distance, the more valuable this information becomes.

Advanced Sweat Testing

• Determines sodium-to-water ratio in a person’s sweat - this ratio can vary up to 500% across athletes, which means that your friend’s electrolyte replacement plan may not work for you.

• This test doesn’t require any exercise protocol - all you have to do is sit in a chair and answer some questions while we collect sweat to analyse - and it includes personalized hydration recommendations tailored towards your goal race(s).

• Strongly recommended for all athletes pursuing health or performance, but especially for long course or competitive short course goals.

Resting Metabolic Rate Testing

• Measures current Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), which provides a baseline caloric intake for daily nutrition.

• Strongly recommended for any athlete trying to manipulate or intentionally maintain body weight, and those looking to maximize recovery nutrition protocol for high level training.

If you know you want to train smarter via performance testing, but aren’t sure where to start, head over to www.playtri.com/testing for more information on all our available test types.

Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 4 Coach and Coach Education Lead, a USAT LI Certified Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer 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.

Gift Guide for Triathletes

Gift Guide for Triathletes

2022 was a great season year for racing! If your special someone is a triathlete, they most likely raced and trained a lot this year. This means some of their gear needs to be refreshed as they begin getting ready for the 2023 season. Here are some suggestions from a coach/competitive triathlete.

Stocking stuffers:

• Swiftwick socks — The gentle compression is a nice touch on long runs. Personally, I’m a fan of the Aspire line.

• Chamois Creme & Body Glide — There’s nothing worse than chafing for a triathlete. And there’s nothing worse than a triathlete complaining to a loved one about chafing. Safe them and yourself from an awkward conversation.

• Compression tights — Your triathlete might just try to get a long workout in before you travel to Grandma’s house. Compression tights will help their achy legs recover while in the car or on the plane.

Swim:

• Goggles — A fresh set of goggles is a great way to start the new year.

• Finis Manta Paddles — Some of the best paddles out there for improving strength and stroke efficiency.

• Snorkel — A must have for triathletes/swimmers of all ages! Playtri coached athletes use this every time they swim.

Bike:

• Garmin Varia Rear Taillight — The best rear light and rear facing camera for cycling at any time of the day. Keep them riding safely in 2023.

• Bike Fit — Before your triathlete spends a lot of time on the trainer this winter, make sure they are comfortable on the bike. An annual bike fit is recommended.

• Smart Trainer — A great tool for improving your cycling during the cold months and hitting specific intervals.

Run:

• RunLab Gait Analysis — The running equivalent to a good bike fit. Learn how your body moves when you run and ways you can improve to avoid injury.

• Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar — the best watch for for triathlon if you are looking to simplify the number of devices you use during training and racing. This watch does it all: HR, Spotify, Power Meter connection, Garmin Pay, the mapping capability is a nice touch, and it’s powered by the sun!

• Theragun Mini — An excellent self massage tool for traveling to races and to have at work.

They’ll love you forever gifts:

• Coaching — If you truly want to make 2023 your best season ever, then a coach is the best triathlon related expense you can make. With over 20 years of coaching, Playtri Coaching works for new triathletes and those looking to qualify for National and World Championships.

• Gravel Bike — If you are looking for a do-it-all training bike, this is it. Take it out on gravel, chip-sealed roads, and even try out Cyclocross with this bike.

• Performance Testing Packages — Don’t just invest in their gear. Invest in helping your triathlete improve their overall training and racing.

Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 4 Coach and Coach Education Lead, a USAT LI Certified Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer 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.

Kind regards,

Coach Jim Rowe

Playtri Level 4 Coach

Coach Education Lead

USAT Level 1 Coach

NASM CPT

IM 70.3 WC Qualifier

PLAYTRI | The Official Triathlon Store of IRONMAN & USA Triathlon

Endurance Athletes + Body Image

If you start typing “Kristian Blummenfelt” into a Google search bar you will notice that in the top five suggested searches are things like “Kristian Blummenfelt bike” (because it is a bit odd looking) and “Kristian Blummenfelt weight” or “Kristian Blummenfelt weight and height” or “Kristian Blummenfelt body fat.” Within the triathlon (and endurance sports in general) community, is a preconceived notion of what athletes are supposed to look like. Blummenfelt’s recent streak of incredible wins and podium finishes has shown the unfortunate side of the triathlon community that believes if your body doesn’t look a certain way, then you must not be a good triathlete.

In fact, you can even do another Google search around “triathlete + BMI” or “triathlete + weight loss” or “ideal body for triathlon” and quickly go down an unhealthy rabbit hole that will have you questioning your nutritional choices and muttering some choice words about the influence your parents’ body types have on your genetics. It is healthy to want to learn how to fuel properly so that you can maximize your athletic performance. It is not healthy if that desire to improve athletic performance leads to under-fueling, extreme dieting, and other forms of disordered eating.

So I strongly suggest that you don’t do those Google searches. As an endurance athlete who has struggled with disordered eating and as a coach who talks with my athletes about proper fueling, I know how dangerous this rabbit hole can be. It’s tough to claw your way back to health when you constantly think losing 10 pounds will make you faster so you cut back on your fueling and then you eat two huge plates of food after your workout, hang your head in shame, and then start intermittent fasting. (For what it’s worth, I’m currently 10 pounds heavier and faster and healthier than when I thought losing 10 pounds would make me faster and healthier and look better.)

However, if you are looking to maximize your athletic performance here are a few things to consider.

• Skinny doesn’t equal fast. Fast equals fast. Improvements in endurance sports are achieved through focused work which means listening to your body, fueling for your training properly, giving it the macro and micro nutrients it needs, allowing it to rest when it needs it, and working hard when appropriate.

• Check out the different testing available at Playtri Dallas that can help you appropriately dial in your nutrition. Tests that can help you dial in your nutrition include Resting Metabolic Rate, Vo2 Calorie Expenditure for bike and run, and Blood Lactate Testing for bike and run.

• Work with a coach who looks at the whole athlete. A coach like this can design a sustainable training plan and advise you on healthy nutrition and hydration.

• If you are susceptible to disordered eating, please seek help with a nutritionist and a psychologist that work work regularly with people who struggle with disordered eating.

Remember, we do endurance sports because we love the challenge and the grind. When we become hyper focused on achieving an ideal body or the perfect racing weight, we begin to lose the joy and fun of sport. If you find yourself in this place, reach out to someone who can walk with you back to joy, fun, and a healthier mindset.

Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 4 Coach and Coach Education Lead, a USAT LI Certified Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer 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.

Common Factors for Success from a Coach’s Perspective

Within the next few weeks, all of my athletes will have wrapped up their 2022 season and begin their transition (or off-) season. As I look back at their Training Peaks files, notes I have scribbled in my planner on their training, and review their race and key workout reports, I notice that there are a few common factors for my top performing athletes. And “top performing” doesn’t mean just the athletes at the pointy-end of the race. My top performing athletes this year included people such as an Ironman World Championship qualifier, a first time Ironman, a randonneur, a first time triathlete, a marathoner, a first time obstacle course finisher. Not all of them actually completed their race or reached their desired goal, but they made huge improvements as athletes and performed on race day in a way that made me incredibly proud to coach such stellar human beings. 

Here are the five factors that were common amongst all of my top performers.

1. Consistency in Training and Communication. All of my top performing athletes were consistent in their training. Day in and day out, they got the work in. If, for some reason, they weren’t able to complete a workout, they reached out to me to tell me why they couldn’t or ask me to reschedule, adjust or modify the workout. They understood the importance of consistent training for reaching their goals and we worked together within the confines of their other commitments (work, family, volunteering, etc.) to put together a plan that stretched them, challenged them and made them better athletes.

2. Commitment to nailing the basics. They regularly got at least 7-8 (or more) hours of sleep each night. They ate a mix of carbohydrates and protein within 30-60 minutes after their training (most of the time). They ate 80% for fuel and 20% for fun. They hydrated throughout the day and during their training sessions. And (most of the time) they planned ahead, so that they were able to move fluidly from work or family to training and back again.

3. Strength Training. They all incorporated regular strength training into their week. Depending on the time of year, that was once or twice a week. And they used different tools: suspension trainers, resistance bands, mini bands, dumbbells, barbells, calisthenics. Some came with their own strength routines, while most asked for guidance, but all of them regularly lifted weights and/or moved their bodies in ways that allowed them to improve as the athletes they wanted to be.

4. An Appetite and Joy for Learning. These top performing athletes would consistently: ask questions; send me video of their swim, bike, or run form to review; want to understand the why behind a workout or training block; get excited to learn and work on implementing a new skill or way of doing things.

5. Ability to Compartmentalize. All of my athletes have big lives filled with big commitments such as work in the medical field, stay at home parents, or travel regularly for work. Still when they get to their training, these top performers were able to focus solely on their training. They did their best to not allow other aspects of their lives seep into another.

As a coach it is an absolute pleasure to see athletes achieve their goals, but it is a bigger pleasure to see athletes committed to the process. If you are looking to make some gains this next (coming) year, then think about incorporating these attitudes and practices on a daily basis.

Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 4 Coach, a USAT LI Certified Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer 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.

Swim Equipment to Build Strength + Technique

Swimming is one of those sports that can take a lot of time and focus to make marginal gains. A late onset swimmer (someone who began swimming as an adult) is someone who can benefit from increased time in the water, as well as specific equipment that is made to help create efficiency in the water. As a swim coach for amateur and elite swimmers, swim equipment is something that we use daily, and I have translated this use of equipment to coaching triathletes of all levels.

Swim Snorkel

A swim specific snorkel is arguably the most useful piece of equipment for triathletes struggling with body position. A snorkel allows the athlete to keep their head down and focus on the strokes and kicks without having to add in the extra step of breathing while swimming. This is a tool that can be overused, but it can be beneficial to all athletes looking to improve their swim and overall body position in the water, and is helpful for learning new skills and drills.

Paddles and Buoy

Triathletes utilize their legs in the bike and the run portion of a race, so the swim portion should be primarily upper body focused. The less a triathlete can use their legs in the swim, the more rested their legs will be when they get on the bike. A pull buoy is a piece of equipment that sits between the legs of the athletes and acts as a float to help align the body properly and lift the hips to the surface of the water. Body and hip position in the swim is crucial for an athlete, and a buoy teaches an athlete what proper body position feels like. Paddles (such as the TYR Catalyst Stroke Paddles) create a greater surface area for the “catch” of the stroke, which in turn creates more resistance and a stronger overall pull. The consistent use of paddles will help build the swim specific muscles in the upper body, such as forearms, triceps, and lats.

Fins

Fins are not only used to build strength in the legs, but they also help teach the proper kick mechanics. Many late onset swimmers will have too much of a knee bend, to where it looks as though they are “riding a bicycle” while they are kicking. Too much knee bend, creates a circular kick, which in turn results in a non-propulsive kick that increases drag and wastes energy. The utilization of fins not only create resistance to build kick specific strength, but it teaches the athlete to kick properly with more of a “relaxed knee bend” to create a more fluid kicking motion. Short fins are better for athletes who are more comfortable with swimming and are looking to build more leg strength, while longer fins are good to teach that proper kicking motion. Fins are also a great tool to use during drills to help ensure the hips do not sink and the body position stays proper throughout the slower swimming process. Be careful when using fins as they do put more resistance on legs - build up to longer sets.

Honorable Mentions

Stretch or swim bands are a great way to build swim specific upper body muscles. If you are unable to get to a pool or want to add an extra element to building your swim, look into adding bands to your bag of equipment (they also make a great race day warmup option for races that don’t allow you in the water pre-race). You can also use different types of paddles, such as freestyle paddles, agility paddles, or fingertip paddles to build different parts of your stroke, such as the catch or the arm tempo.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that while all pieces of swim equipment are great, it is important to use them purposefully and not to become too reliant on any piece of equipment. If you have any questions about swim equipment, or anything swimming related, do not hesitate to reach me and michael.rourke@playtri.com.

If you are looking for a remote swim analysis (available to athletes worldwide) or private swim lessons, click this link https://www.playtri.com/playtri-swim-lessons. Happy swimming!

Coach Michael Rourke is a Level 2 Playtri Coach and an American Swim Coaches Association Level 4 swim coach. He coaches junior and adult triathletes of all levels, as well as high school elite swimmers. He is also a 70.3 World’s Qualifier.

After Your Race Season

You just finished your A-race and already have next year’s goals in mind. I recommend a week or two of easy recovery activities (i.e., sight-seeing, social runs, or coffee rides) to keep moving after a big race and then begin 2 weeks of doing nothing swim, bike, run related. This allows you to unwind mentally and physically and dedicate some time to analyzing your season.

Taking time totally off allows your muscles and tendons to repair and it is beneficial to lose some fitness at this point. This allows the body to transition to the first block of the next season. Traditionally, this will be base building but can also be high intensity for a reverse build, but that is worthy of a separate article. Either way, you are going to want your body healthy and prepared for the increasing stress. Visit a chiro or PT to address any imbalances or nagging issues. This phase does not require being a couch-potato. You enjoy exercising so you should continue that habit. Just do so in ways other than swimming, biking, and running. You can roller blade, hike, rock climb, kayak, or any number of activities. Just enjoy yourself, don’t follow a training plan, and don’t work hard.

Use this time to reflect on the past season. Make notes of your shortcomings in races. Identify some low-hanging fruit to incorporate into training such as bike handling, nutrition, or transitions. Some of these can be resolved with 1-on-1 lessons with a coach. Identify your fitness limiters of the season so you can prioritize them for next season’s training.

Begin developing next years goals. Goals can include increasing distance, qualifying for championships, or shaving time off races. Begin developing a plan or contact a coach to help you evaluate your goals and your commitments. This is a great value Playtri coaches provide in our Individual Coaching programs.

Rest, regroup, and develop a plan of attack for next season.

Coach Ryan Siebert is a Level 3 Playtri Coach and a USAT Level I Coach with Long Course Area of Focus.

Combat Open Water Swim Anxiety

The swim portion of the race can cause great anxiety for new and experienced swimmers alike. The anxiety can come from different sources, so you need to address it accordingly to overcome it.

Fitness/Technique

Open water swimming requires a higher level of swim fitness than pool swimming. There is no 100% passive way to recover on the swim like the bike and run. You need to understand technique and pacing to get yourself through an open water swim. This can best be accomplished through 1-on-1 lessons with a coach as well as practice in the open water leading up to your race. At Playtri, we get athletes in our Endless Pool so we can provide them immediate feedback based on what we are seeing above and below the water. You will understand a pace that you can maintain while also maintaining good technique to reduce energy expenditure. We also have the longest running Open Water Swim in the DFW Metroplex to get your prepared between March and September.

Schedule your lessons here.

Open Water Fears

The open water can be daunting. Dark water can cause anxiety because you can’t even see your hand in front of your face. Your mind immediately tells you there’s a shark or a gator just below you and you can’t shake that feeling. Forget about when another athlete or some floating debris touches you! Athletes should practice visualization before entering the water of how they want to swim and exit the water in a calm manner. I recommend athletes practice resetting by turning over on their back and floating or gently swimming elementary back stroke to continue forward movement. They should use diaphragmatic breathing and 4-4-4 breathing pattern to settle their breathing down. They should have positive self-talk and go back to that visualization from before the swim to remind themselves they have done this before and can do it again. When they do all of this and are ready, turn back over and bring it home.

Cold Water

Preparing for the race with appropriate gear including wetsuit, bootie, gloves, and a hood are important for cold races. If you have the gear, you still want to fight hyperventilation by dunking your face in the cold water without goggle for a few seconds until you feel the tightness in your chest leave and feel the sense of calm return before you start the race.

Consider renting or buying a wetsuit for your next swim.

If you have any questions, please email headcoach@playtri.com

5 Things I Learned as a Triathlon Coach this Season

I got into the sport of triathlon in 2016 at a local sprint race that my aunt roped me into.  6 years later, I consider myself an avid triathlete, and have officially completed my first season of triathlon coaching.  I am combining my 10 years of swim coaching experience and collegiate track running to triathlon coaching. Here are some things that I learned this year as a coach.

Swim Frequency is More Important than Duration

2 swims per week for an hour each session will not be as beneficial to a new swimmer/triathlon as 3 or 4 sessions a week for 35-40 minutes each.  The feel for the water is something that is lost quite quickly for an athlete who is not used to consistently swimming. The more an athlete can get into the water, the quicker they will develop and improve their fitness as a swimmer.

Contrary to running and cycling, an athlete cannot simply “try harder” in swimming to get faster.  1-on-1 lessons provide the necessary feedback to make minor changes to bring about major improvement.

Swim Equipment Builds Swim Specific Strength

Athletes should know the reasons why they do something.  Using fins may help the athlete with their leg strength in kicking, as well as fixing the form of the kick and hip position.  A kick focused training session will establish proper body position and reduce drag. Paddles will improve the catch of the stroke, as well as build swimming specific muscles. These items can be found on our online Playtri store.

Coaching is More than Workouts

As a coach, it is imperative that we build a plan specifically for an athlete.  Frequent communication helps build a personal relationship which helps ensure each athlete gets an individualized plan and is equipped to achieve their goals. The more communication I can achieve with an athlete, the more likely I am to get a deeper understanding of their process in the sport of triathlon.

Nutrition is Truly the 4th Discipline of Triathlon

Nutrition is something that swimmers deal with before and after workouts or meets. A triathlete must hone the skill of nutrition before, during, and after workouts, and ESPECIALLY races. This is something that is trained as frequently as swim, bike, and run. The idea of a scientific approach to a triathlete’s training is something that many athletes will look past until they have a massive bonk during a race or hard workout session.

As a Playtri coach, we have the resources necessary to run so many different kinds of tests, such as VO2 calorie expenditure, sweat composition, and blood lactate testing to ensure the scientific approach to all our athletes. 

Time in the Saddle is Irreplaceable

Simply spinning your legs on your bike will not make you a great cyclist. The more frequently an athlete can get on their bike with targeted workouts, the better their overall fitness will become. The strength work that an athlete endures on the bike not only builds strength physically, but the mental strength is something that can be carried over to both the swim and the run. The leg strength and continuous use of the legs does not match one to one with running, but it is one of the more productive activities that an athlete can do to improve their fitness.

Stay tuned for Coach Michael’s follow-up articles going deeper into each of these lessons!

Coach Michael Rourke is a Level 2 Playtri Coach and an American Swim Coaches Association Level 4 swim coach. He coaches junior and adult triathletes of all levels, as well as high school elite swimmers. He is also a 70.3 World’s Qualifier.

Accurate Heart Rate + Power Zones with Blood Lactate Testing

Regardless of the goal, every endurance athlete wants to train more efficiently. Trying to finish an IRONMAN on 8 hours of training a week? Be efficient. Trying to win the Olympics? Be efficient. Trying to maintain a long-term healthy lifestyle? Be efficient. No one wants to do work that doesn’t move the needle forward - that’s why Playtri Blood Lactate Testing is at the core of the Playtri Coaching model. Our unique blood lactate testing protocol and analysis has been developed over 20 years and tested on thousands of athletes for one thing: effectiveness in training and competition.

First, a quick science lesson. Our bodies use a combination of three metabolic systems to convert fuel into energy to create muscle contractions: aerobic, anaerobic and phosphagen. The aerobic system is extremely sustainable as long as it is provided with fuel and hydration, making it great for endurance (think IRONMAN). The phosphagen system is only for very short/intense efforts (think 10 seconds or less) and therefore little-used in endurance sport. The anaerobic system, however, is frequently accessed in endurance sport (think Sprint or Olympic distance competition) but is not nearly as sustainable as the aerobic system.

Blood lactate, a useful part of the metabolic process and a byproduct of the anaerobic system, is a simple indicator for athletes and coaches of the sustainability of an athlete’s effort. OBLA (onset of blood lactate accumulation, often referred to as lactate threshold or LT2) is the point at which your body produces more lactate than it can process at the same rate, meaning it begins to accumulate. This accumulation starts a ticking clock for the athlete because above OBLA it is only a matter of time (usually a maximum of 2-3 hours) before acidosis in the blood caused by the increasing presence of other metabolites (which correlate with accumulating lactate) puts a stop to activity (and dramatically increases necessary recovery time post-workout).

OBLA and other markers shift over time depending on the amount and type of work athletes are doing, so our Playtri athletes have blood lactate testing done for bike and run 1 or more times a year (typically at the beginning of the season, and again right before “A” races) to ensure they are getting the intended benefits of their sessions - not under-working or over-working. We utilize the zones (heart rate and power, based on OBLA and observed lactate tolerance) from these tests in training and competition, allowing our athletes to make informed decisions, instead of playing guessing games with their performance.

Each training session should have an objective. Extensive endurance training is intended to induce peripheral adaptations that enhance the rate of oxygen delivery and utilization of appropriate muscle fiber types. This method of training will increase the number and size of mitochondria and improve capillarization, blood shunting abilities, lactate removal rates, and the rate of fat metabolism among working muscle fibers. Accurate heart rate zones give you accuracy in the intensity you are training at to achieve these training objectives. Most athletes tend to train too frequently at heart rates above OBLA, and while they may see some gains made in short intervals, will struggle to achieve long-term adaptation in the sport.

What is a blood lactate test like? At Playtri our test consists of two consecutive builds (either on a stationary trainer or treadmill) based on heart rate, and 5 to 8 capillary samples (finger pricks) over the course of 45-60 minutes. You do not need to be a highly trained athlete to have a blood lactate test done at Playtri - however you should be comfortable with 45 minutes of activity in the discipline the test is being performed on. Results typically take 1-3 days and are outlined in a two-page document emailed to the athlete that includes our in-house zone system, as well as a more widely used 6 zone system. Results do not include raw blood lactate data due to the proprietary nature of our testing system.

The good news - even if you’re not a Playtri coached athlete, you can still access our testing to train smarter with better zones. The even better news - we always make sure that we have enough coaches on staff to accept new athletes throughout the season, so you can start training smarter with a Playtri Coach as soon as you are ready.

If you want to schedule an initial blood lactate test, or need to update your zones, schedule your test here.

Interested in testing, but still not sure how it applies to your goals? Click Here to schedule a free testing phone consult.

Learn More About Playtri Testing

IRONMAN & 70.3 Essentials

Getting into the sport of triathlon can seem overwhelming with all the equipment and deciphering which items are needed and which are nice to have. When an athlete approaches me with a goal of completing an Ironman I discuss the following items with them. These items are necessary to have a successful training and racing experience.

A Plan!

Long Course Triathlon such as Ironman is a serious undertaking and you should not go after it alone. Playtri has Group Workouts, Individual Coaching, 1-on-1 Sessions, and a training app to help you get to the finish line safely. Consider recruiting one or all of these to get you to your finish line.

Swim:

Swimsuit

• Low drag suit to move through the water efficiently

Swim goggles

• Clear for overcast days and tinted or polarized for bright sunny days, such as these

• Should fit without leaking and provide wide range of view

• Multiple lens options for varying outdoor conditions.

• Smart goggle for consistent feedback (Read detailed review here)

Anti-fog for goggles

Kickboard

Snorkel

Pull Buoy

Hand Paddles

Wetsuit

• Sleeves are faster if the suit fits properly and doesn’t overly restrict shoulder mobility

• Sleeveless for warmer or more general comfort with mobility

• Rent a wetsuit from us

• Purchase a wetsuit

Bike:

Bike with professional fit

• Aero position is only good for as long as you can hold it and run off it.

• Common injuries and poor run performances come from poor fit.

• Bike Fit Options

Road bike

• Entry point - Good enough to get started but going to leave a lot on the table because of aerodynamic penalty of upright and wider position. Closed hip angle will make running more difficult after the bike.

• 700c x 23-30c wheels

• Can add clip-on aero bars

• Road bikes                

Aero bars

Triathlon bike

• Opens up hip angle to run better

• Moves rider forward to engage quads and save hamstrings for run

• Sets you up to run better off the bike

• Position of ride will be lower and more narrow which improves aerodynamics

• Triathlon bikes

Clipless Pedals

• Better power delivery

• Maintains fit exactly

• Enables you to pull through bottom of pedal stroke

Helmet

• Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sticker

• Replace after 3-5 years or any impact (integrity of the helmet will fail after impact)

• Aero road helmet could be worth getting at the beginning (versatile and aero in multiple head positions)

Hydration & Nutrition

• Bottles can be stored on down tube and seat tube on most bikes. Additional bottles can be added to increase the fluids you can carry to fuel your race so you can make less aid station stops which will increase overall performance on race day.

• Behind the Saddle (BTS)

• Between the Arms (BTA) - These can include bottles with straws so you can drink without the penalty of sitting up to reach for bottles.

• Top Tube bags can store food and be accessed while still in the aero position so you can fuel your performance and maintain speed on the bike.

Cycling Shorts

• Proper pad (known as a chamois)

• Bib shorts ensure a secure fit

• Non-bib shorts may be more comfortable for you

• Cycling shorts are specifically for cycling and help fit you on the bike in a way saddle manufacturers intend you to sit on the saddle.

Cycling jersey

• Pockets for nutrition, phone, flat kit, etc.

Flat repair kit

Cycling water bottles

Bike pump

Bike computer

• Speed and Cadence

• GPS

Run:

Running shoes

• Find the right shoe for you

• Replace every 300-500 miles or 6 months

• See brands we carry

Socks

• Avoid cotton – collects moisture, causes blisters

• Merino wool – regulates temperature, moves moisture, and resists odor

• Mix of synthetic – nylon, polyester, spandex – good value/durability, prevents friction

• Example

Running shorts

• Comfortable specifically for running (material: polyester, elastane, spandex, nylon)

Running shirt

• Synthetic fabrics: polyester, nylon

Triathlon Specific + Nutrition:

Watch & Heart Rate Monitor

• Smartwatch to include GPS function and pair with Heart Rate Strap

• GPS and Heart Rate will be used to track your workouts to measure progress and pace races successfully. You can’t improve something you don’t measure.

Trisuit

• Reserved for racing and key workouts

• Partially hydrophobic for fast swimming

• Wicks sweat

• Material reduces chafing

• Small pad to help with cycling comfort (may impede running for some athletes)

Race belt

• Holds race number

Nutrition

• Carbs focus

  • Easy to eat, gel, hydrogel, waffle, blocks

  • Gels

  • Carb Mix

• Electrolytes

  • Sodium unique to individual

  • Discover your sodium loss rate

  • Read why you should get tested

  • Salt caps

Chamois Butter

Body Glide

Coach Ryan Siebert is a Level 2 Playtri Coach and a USAT Level I Coach with Long Course Area of Focus. He coaches juniors and adult athletes of all levels and is a bike fitter and performance tester at Playtri Dallas. He is also 70.3 Champion and WC Qualifier.

You can reach him with any questions at ryan.siebert@playtri.com

Preparing & Performing Under Pressure

By Dr. Nina Rios-Doria

5 mental tools to help you along the way:

1. Visualization - One of the most effective ways for you to prepare for an event is to realize and activate your imagination. The more you develop and practice visualization, the more effective and impactful it will be during competition. Remember visualization or imagery is the ability to picture yourself performing at your best. Practice visualizing the steps you will be going through before and during the competition. Use all your 5 senses when you practice visualization. The clearer the image - the more detailed- the greater the effect on the body.

2. Confidence - Remember your ability. Remember your preparation. Reflect on past successes and positive experiences. The two primary ways to gain confidence is to remember the quality and quantity of your training. How you’ve prepared? What you’ve done? The greatest obstacle on the road to confidence is fear. Fears come from uncertainty and the uncertainty indicates a lack of confidence. No one can make us feel as if we’re failures without our own consent. Confident people never consent.

Tale of Two Wolves:

An old Cherokee chief teaches his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight between two wolves. One is evil — he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego. The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight is going on inside you — and inside every other person, too.” The grandson thought about this for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” The old chief simply replied, “The one you feed.”

3. View this event as a challenge not a threat. When you view this as a challenge it starts with a perception of the situation as an opportunity to push yourself, get out of your comfort zone, seek out your limits, achieve your goals, and reach a new level of excellence. With this perception, you are focused on pursuing your athletic goals with complete confidence, courage and commitment and without doubt, worry or fear. Challenge associated with you embracing the process of your sport rather than fearing the results of your efforts. You will feel energized and your muscles will feel loose and your breathing will be deep and controlled. Remember your fundamental goal is to face and conquer the challenge.

4. Breath control- “Your breathing determines whether you are at your best or whether you are at a disadvantage.” Carola, author and teacher of breathing practices.

Box breathing is one simple technique to practice breath control. Drawing a box with your finger: Breath for five seconds, hold for five seconds, breathe out for five seconds, and then hold for five seconds and repeat

You can also breathe in through the nose for a count of five hold for two to three seconds and then breathe out for a count of five and repeat.

Make sure when you’re breathing that your belly expands during inhalation and relaxes during exhalation. Proper breathing helps relieve the stress and tension from your system and brings you back into the present moment.

5. Neutral thinking. Work on decreasing negative talk and focus on neutral talk. Be aware of the chatter in your head and modify it as needed.

Remember when you downshift to neutral, you are choosing your next right step for you. You accept the past, but you also accept that it's not predictive of the future. Remember your behavior will supersede your emotions when acting in alignment with your values and practicing neutral thinking in emotional situations.

Do your best to focus on the present moment, what is in your control, and not allow negative thinking to be a part of your conversation within yourself or with others. Focus on the facts, move forward, and take action steps with things within your control.

Finally, As you go into this next competition, have a mantra, phrase, or a word that will continue to encourage and inspire you in the present moment while you’re competing. Repeat this mantra throughout your competition.

Remember….enjoy the process and have fun!

Dr. Nina Rios-Doria is a Licensed Counselor and specializes in mental performance and mental health for athletes. Learn more about Dr. Nina and her practice at https://www.drninacoach.com/.

References:

• The Champions Mind by Jim Afremow

• Getting to Neutral by Trevor Moawad

• The Mental Game of Baseball by H.A. Dorfman

• Train your Mind for Athletic Success by Jim Taylor

Taking the Guesswork Out of Your Nutrition Plan

If you are reading this article, you’re probably wondering how you can recover better, train more consistently, and race faster. Whether you are a single sport or multi-sport endurance athlete you need to know how to fuel your engine more effectively. The body primarily utilizes fat and carbohydrates as fuel to create energy for muscle contractions. Your “engine” has two fuel “tanks”. One contains the carbohydrate calories and the other contains the fat calories and the rate at which your engine draws from each varies with effort. If you know this rate you will know how to effectively refill the appropriate tanks. These numbers will reflect how you should be pacing in long course racing and how to train so you can improve your “fat efficiency.”

The leanest, lightest marathon runner can have 80,000+ calories in their fat fuel tank, while their carbohydrate tank could have only 1600-2500 calories available. Athletes commonly burn 400 to 800 calories/hour, which will empty their carbohydrate tank rather quickly if the body is pulling heavily from that source. At low levels of exertion, an athlete’s engine will burn more fat but as the effort increases will become more dependent on the carbohydrate tank. Carbohydrates are more bioavailable as “quick fuel” compared to the slow burning fat.

Performing a VO2 Calorie Expenditure Test at Playtri will produce several useful insights. It will give you specific, usable data at varying heart rates, including how many calories you are burning per hour, and how much is coming from carbohydrates versus fat. Overuse of carbohydrates is a common issue for endurance athletes (whether due to general inefficiency of fat use, or poor pacing decisions in a specific session or race), especially in longer distance events. You may be an inefficient fat burner and begin burning your carbohydrates early in the effort curve. The earlier your engine leans on the carbohydrate tank, the earlier you will run out of fuel and experience a “bonk.” “Bonking” is what marathoners and IRONMAN athletes experience when they talk about “hitting the wall.” You feel lethargic and can’t push your body beyond the fat burning effort because you are out of carbohydrate fuel.

The good news is that you can train your fat efficiency. When we have an athlete who discovers this limiter, we adjust their training in a few ways. First, we stress to them the importance of having a good daily balance of calories from healthy macronutrient sources to include a variety of macronutrients and micronutrients at each meal. We can help them periodize nutrition based on training and competition by ensuring they are following adequate macronutrient timing to fuel hard workouts with carbohydrates and have them perform some low intensity activities fasted. These efforts are all assigned based on the heart values from the test that we know are burning primarily fat. We only use this method with athletes that are disciplined enough to stay in their heart rate zones because otherwise they can deplete themselves greatly and need a long recovery period to prevent injury and/or illness, meaning we aren’t able to get the training we need.

 Vo2 calorie testing with Playtri can also revolutionize the way you plan your race nutrition (we call it our “secret weapon”). We always encourage our athletes to have this testing done 1-2 weeks prior to long course races, and directly apply the information we get to our pacing and nutrition planning. We aim to replace carbohydrate calories on a one-to-one basis, and pace so that we are able to absorb enough fuel for this purpose. Fortunately, a substantial body of evidence suggests that the GI system is highly adaptable and can be trained to achieve your fueling goals. If you have a heart rate target for your race, this test will give you a carbohydrate fueling target. If you don’t feel comfortable consuming that many calories right now, you can work your way up.

In long course triathlon racing, nutrition becomes the “Fourth Discipline”, and you must train it to be successful in the same manner you train your swim, bike, and run. Once you have your caloric needs identified you will need to begin training your gut to handle the volume and trying different flavors and consistencies to find what plan works best for you. We have athletes that get tired of gels and need more solid foods and others that can handle all gels but get nauseated by a flavor after so many. At Playtri, we carry a variety of brands and products so you can maintain the variety in your fueling plan.

Visit the online store to view just some of the products we carry. Visit a location near you to see more products.

Click Here to Learn More about Playtri Testing

Athlete & Coach: What We Have Learned This Season

Brian Shiels and I started working together on his goal of completing an Ironman last year. Brian came to this goal with no previous triathlon experience, a lot of experience in rucking and running, a full time job that requires travel, and a supportive family of four. As a coach with a young family and who regularly competes in Sprint, Olympic, and 70.3 distance triathlons, I had a good understanding of what Brian’s training was going to look like; early morning or evening workouts and bigger miles on the weekends. Still, as with any new triathlete it is important to manage the family and mental load as much as managing the training load. During our time together we have learned (or been reminded) a lot about triathlon as athlete and coach. Here are a few of the things we have learned.

Brian’s list

1. You’ll never know what you don’t know, until you talk to someone who really knows. Turning to Playtri and having a coach has shown me that taking the time to invest in proper education and training is the most effective path to achieving my triathlon goals. (Click here for information about our coaching options.)

2. There is more to each of the three (3) disciplines than merely doing them. While an experienced runner, I naively considered myself a capable swimmer and cyclist when I came to Playtri. I learned right from the start that swimming and riding a bike are not remotely the same as competitive open water swimming and road cycling.

3. Being kind with myself. I have participated and raced in running and rucking endurance events for decades, but have always taken a harsh approach with myself to ensure training and event execution. With the guidance of a primary coach and the support of the entire coaching team, staff, and the general participant community at Playtri, I have learned to pursue progress, not perfection, and improvement as an acceptable result.

4. Specifically, a measured, scientific approach to training will yield more impactful and safer results. The use of blood lactate testing, sweat testing, and establishing my optimal heart rate zones have given me information to guide everything from basic nutrition and electrolyte needs to employing the most effective training and race day strategies. (For information about our various testing options, click here.)

5. The best way not to sweat the small stuff is to have taken care of it ahead of time. Knowing how to set up your transition area during a triathlon is key to ensuring a smooth process when moving between activities. Planning out water, energy, and electrolyte needs before an event reduces the likelihood of deficiencies in these areas.

6. Use chamois butt’r. A lot of it. Everywhere.

Coach Jim’s list

1. Coaching is more than just the workouts. This includes conversations about kit, gear, nutrition, hydration, pedaling efficiency, running form, swim form, transition set up, etc. I speak on the phone or zoom with all my athletes on a weekly basis. Our conversations regularly include data and video review of swim, bike, or run workouts.

2. Every athlete has unspoken expectations for race day. Throughout the build and before each race I talk with my athletes about what my expectations are for race day and I ask them what there expectations are also. Even if an athlete says, “I just want to finish” often times they have specific time goals in their mind. These need to be spoken and shared so everyone is on the same page.

3. Adopting an attitude of gratitude is a game changer for athlete and coach. Training and racing while being thankful for the ability to do this sport goes a long way when things get rough. As a coach, it is important to grateful to be entrusted with helping people reach their goals. I end all emails to my athletes with this: “Thanks for allowing me to be your coach!”

4. Trust the work of other coaches. Playtri has a great group of capable coaches. If I can’t have my eyes on an athlete, I’m thankful that my athletes get the opportunity to work with other amazing coaches at weekly Open Water Swim, pool workouts, strength training, group rides, and at the track. (Click here for a list of the weekly workouts available to Playtri athletes.)

Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 4 Coach, a USAT LI Certified Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer 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.

FINIS Smart Goggle powered by Ciye

Benefits for triathletes (as opposed to purely pool swimmers)

a.     Many triathletes rely on an assortment of pools to get their training done. Sometimes the pools are not set up for pure swimming, so clocks are not optimally placed. I found that these goggles provided me a clock in the heads-up display (HUD) that I could rely on to get my workouts completed. Having the goggles count laps for long reps was also a great value! The device displayed my lap times, set times, number of laps, number of sets.

b.     In the open water I found that these goggles will register 180° turns and display your splits. I found this to be an adequate compensation for not having GPS. GPS is often inaccurate in the open water anyway. With the goggles registering split times every time I made a 180° turn, I was able to swim a consistent course and know how I was swimming relative to other times I swam that course. A triathlete can set up a couple buoys and set a baseline to build their workout around. This is much more reliable than GPS because you can also not worry about current, waves, etc. and instead just compare your effort to your split times.

c.     Triathletes and open water swimmers will also benefit from having the elapsed time in the HUD because they can see how long they have been swimming relative to distance covered if they know the estimated distance between buoys or at turn buoys. For example, in Ironman branded races, the color of the buoys typically changes at the halfway point so you can see your time at the halfway point without breaking stroke.

d.     Triathletes and open water swimmers can also gauge their effort by stroke rate which can be selected as a HUD in addition to elapsed time.

Would you recommend them to your athletes? (why or why not)

Yes, I would recommend them to my athletes. I have found them to be valuable in the open water swims but also in the pool. It has given me more data to analyze and find places to improve. I find the data it gives is insightful and not “just noise”. In the open water I can see split times around a consistent distance as well as stroke rate. I can use this data to see how I trend in terms of pace and stroke rate. Do I start with a high turnover and get lazy? Or if my stroke rate is the same but time gets slower, should I consider focusing on my sighting?

In the pool, I know the distance, so these metrics are even more significant. While I am swimming, I can see my split times easily as I am swimming instead of craning my neck around to find a clock mid-stroke. I found that I quickly became spoiled by seeing my split times in the HUD. After the workout, I was able to see how my pacing was through the workout and through each set. On my 400s, I could see if I faded or built into the effort like I intended. There was no rounding or justifying times. The app has a friendly visual display to view a graph of your splits over a set.

These goggles give an athlete the ability to track important data so I will recommend my athletes get a pair if they want to find gains in their swim.

Do you feel the price is worth the value of the product?

Yes, I feel the value is worth the price. I find the goggle itself to be a high quality goggle that I would like to wear on it’s own. The Ciye smart device has improved the quality of my training so far. If you compare this to a power meter for cycling, it is much less expensive. If you compare it to a power meter for running (like Stryd) it is on par, except with this you also get the added value of a great goggle. The Ciye device can also be taken out of the goggle and put in another goggle so you can replace goggles after time, wear, or for a different tint without replacing the device. Another advantage of the device is that you can adjust your HUD based on personal preference or training objective.

What were the top three things you liked?

1.     Registering splits at 180° buoy turns in the open water

2.     Seeing stroke rate in the HUD

3.     Dissecting data in the app after workouts

Anything athletes should keep in mind?

1.     Nose piece is very adjustable and can slip when you are putting the goggles on - goggles are very secure once on.

2.     The device can take about 5 seconds to register you are resting at the wall, so if your rest is shorter than that it will not pick up the new interval. This could be an indication that you need to adjust your recovery time for sets. 

3.     The Ciye device covers about one-third of the goggle to the far-left. The only obstruction I have noticed so far is that it can make tracking swimmers to your left more difficult.

Finis Smart Goggle powered by Ciye will be in stock soon. Check the store online.

If you have any questions, please email headcoach@playtri.com.

Why Strength Training Matters for Triathletes

Triathletes, in the experience of this coach, often consider strength training as an unnecessary aspect of successful triathlon training. It is often the first workout dropped from the schedule if a triathlete is pressed for time. When it is done, strength training is done in a rushed fashion as the athlete tries to get through the workouts as quickly as possible so they can do other things. This rushed approach to strength training opens the athlete to injury and creating muscular imbalances.

When I first start working with an athlete and I say that we will be including strength training in their program, I often hear the “I don’t want to get big” excuse. Strength training is different from weightlifting or body building, in that the focus of the exercises prescribed is on improving general fitness, power, sport-specific strength, and neuromuscular pathways and not on growing the biggest, strongest, showiest muscles possible. Triathletes don’t win races because of the size of their biceps. Rather, they win races or make individual improvements in the sport through improved economy, cardiovascular endurance, and explosive power.

Because of these performance improvements that can come from strength training, I assign weekly strength training for all my athletes. During the preparation and base portion of the season, strength training happens 2-3 times a week (depending on the athlete). During the build portion of the season, strength training can happen 1-2 times a week (again depending on the athlete) and during 2-3 weeks before an “A” race strength training happens 1 time a week. I tell my athletes that these workouts are incredibly important to their continued success in this sport, especially as they age. After the age of 30, we lose 3-5% of our muscle mass every decade. Not only does strength training help delay this loss, but it also decreases your risk of falls and fractures.

If that amount of strength training sounds daunting, know that we Playtri coaches have a holistic approach to strength training. We aren’t advocating that you spend 60-180 minutes per week in the weight room. We know that you have limited time to reach your goals. So we maximize the training time we have by incorporating strength work into your swim, bike, and run training through pull sets with paddles (like the Finis Manta Paddles) in the pool and hill repeats on the bike and run. And our standalone strength training workouts last approximately 20-30 minutes and often focus on improving muscular stability and core strength, since these are the two main issues most age-group athletes have.

In addition, I lead a weekly 30-minute virtual core strength and mobility workout Tuesday mornings at 5:30 am Central, which gives athletes an opportunity to gain knowledge and receive a coached workout that will help them improve year-round. This weekly workout requires limited tools such as mini bands, a foam roller, a lacrosse ball, and a chair or wall. In 30 minutes, we break a sweat and gain much needed core strength (including some focused work on the posterior chain which is often weak amongst age-group triathletes). 

If you are looking to build a triathlon specific strength tool collection to use at home, I suggest the following: mini bands, resistance bands, a pull up bar, a set of dumbbells (up to 50 pounds depending on the athlete), a jump rope, a foam roller, a lacrosse ball, a yoga ball, and the Finis Dryland Cord and (if space allows) the Finis Slide Dryland Trainer. The Dryland Cords fit easily into your swim and race bags for warmups and the Slide Dryland Trainer is an excellent tool for improving overall upper body strength for the swim.

If you would like to attend the weekly core strength and mobility workout, want to know more about building your at-home strength tool collection, or would like to schedule a one-on-one strength session, please reach out to me. Strength training is an essential part of triathlon training that should not be dismissed easily.

Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 4 Coach, a USAT LI Certified Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer 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.

Kind regards,

Coach Jim Rowe

Playtri Level 4 Coach

USAT Level 1 Coach

NASM CPT

IM 70.3 WC Qualifier

PLAYTRI | The Official Triathlon Store of IRONMAN & USA Triathlon

Open Water vs. Pool Swimming

If you are like most triathletes, swimming is arguably the most challenging part of both training and racing.  Most athletes will wake up early and hit the cold water of their local lap pool before the workday starts, and we all know the hardest part of the day is gathering up the courage to jump into a cold pool.  But once we get over that initial jump, we can generally get through the swim workout prescribed for the day.  A swim workout is just you, the time, and the seemingly endless black line at the bottom of the pool.

Why is it that an athlete can be so confident with their abilities in the pool, but end up panicking in the open water?  The number one detail that athletes should understand is that open water and pool swimming are two different sports with different skillsets.  In the pool, you have your own space and you do not have to worry about other athletes around you, waves, buoys, etc.  In the open water, you have a lot of uncontrollable factors that could derail your race at any moment. 

Pool Swimming

The temperature and environment of pool water is mostly very comfortable and very predictable.  The pool water temperature predictability is something that all athletes are expecting as they jump into the water, and each athlete is used to swimming in their own lane, or with one other athlete splitting the lane.  The sense of familiarity can help those beginner swimmers feel more comfortable in the water.

Apparel and equipment in which athletes train in are pretty much the same on a day to day basis at the pool; all of which can be found at any Playtri location or online at the Playtri Website.  Men will generally wear jammers or briefs, with the occasional buoyancy short to simulate wearing a wetsuit and keeping the hips elevated.  Women will train in a one piece or a two piece training suit.  Equipment will vary from athlete to athlete, but most swim bags will consist of paddles, buoys, kickboards, snorkel, and swim fins.  Each athlete will have their own personal preference on types of equipment, but these are tools athletes will use to focus on various parts of their strokes.

To use lap swimming to best prepare for open water swimming, an athlete must alter their stroke and habits.  For example, former swimmers who utilize dolphin kicks off their walls should not do this when preparing for an open water swim because there are no walls or opportunities for dolphin kicks in the middle of a race.  Experiment with a breathing pattern that you are comfortable with for the duration of your race distance and practice that pattern until it becomes second nature.  One example is an athlete who breathes to their right side only; they breathe every other stroke, and sight every 3rd breath.

Open Water Swimming

The environment and predictability of an open water swim is very different from that of a pool swim.  There is no enclosed area that you can call your own like the lane you would swim in at the pool.  The vast openness of the body of water you are about to embark on can bring about thoughts of anxiousness and nervousness in even the most seasoned swimmers. 

In the open water, athletes generally will not be able to see the bottom of the body of water.  This fact alone can bring about thoughts of uneasiness because this takes away the idea of being able to control what is going on around you.  Practicing sighting and being aware of your surroundings is important in your swim sessions.  This can be completed in pool training sessions by focusing on objects around you, looking a little more forward than down, and practicing your sighting.  Having a coach is a great way to get some feedback as it pertains to specifics about your stroke and how to adjust from pool to open water swimming.

Open water swimming can be very cold, which will change a lot of factors compared to pool swimming.  For one, the temperature alone is enough to bring about that initial gasp of air as you enter the water.  Athletes will generally start to swim as fast as they can to try to warm their bodies up.  This will quickly raise the heart rate and trigger those anxious thoughts and possible panicking scenarios.  I suggest to all my athletes that they take the first couple of strokes nice and smooth so they can find their rhythm while their heart rates are still in a controlled state.  It is important to make sure to remember that you can control your race but not your environment.

In a cold open water swim, athletes will mostly opt to wear a wetsuit, which not only keeps heat in, but changes the position of the body in the water.  It is important to practice in a wetsuit or swimskin before competing because you should never try something new on race day.  If you cannot get to an open body of water to practice open water swimming, wear your wetsuit in the pool for a little bit of time, if you can.  Get to know the position your body will be in when you have the wetsuit on and get comfortable with the fit for a longer duration of time.

How to Prepare for Open Water

The best option would be to go find an open body of water near you and practice your open water swimming.  Do NOT practice open water swimming alone, and I also suggest a brightly colored buoy, such as the Playtri Buddy Bag Swim Buoy so that people around you can see you. 

You can practice sighting in a pool by altering your breathing pattern to match what you will do in a race.  One suggestion would be to do a set of 100s where you sight every 4-6 strokes.  Find a point in front of you on both ends of the pool and quickly get your head up to sight that given point; this will act like the buoy you will be looking for in any given race.  Practice with a wetsuit or sim shorts so that you can get used to the position of having your hips assisted to the top of the water.  You can also mimic this position using a pull buoy.  Finally, work on your initial breathing when you first get into the water.  Mental preparedness is arguably the most important aspect of sport, so if you are mentally prepared for the jump into the water and have a plan on how to execute, then you will be on your way to a successful swim leg!

If you have any questions about swimming, whether that be pool or open water, you can contact me at michael.rourke@playtri.com.  As a head high school swim coach, and triathlon coach for all level athletes, I have worked with athletes of all skill levels, from National ranked athletes to brand new swimmers.  Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions at all!  Happy swimming!

Learn more about Michael Rourke.

Best Bike Upgrades for Improved Speed and Endurance

The two most common cycling related questions I receive as a coach are: “How do I get faster on the bike?” and “How can I ride longer and sustain my speed/power?” With deference to the great Eddy Merckx, who said “Ride up grades, don’t buy upgrades” when he was asked about improving as a cyclist, here is my list of upgrades that will help you improve your overall bike speed and endurance as a triathlete.

Get a bike fit. Before you start putting money into upgrading your bike, it is worth it to make sure that your bike fits your body properly. A proper bike fit will help with injury prevention, comfort, and the ability to train and race longer and more consistently.

Get a coach. Very few people can truly be objective with their own training. Most triathletes have type “A” personalities and having a coach who works closely with you to develop a training plan based on what your life dictates helps provide accountability, motivation, and a reality check on your goals. Individual coaching at Playtri starts at $150 per month.

Buy a power meter. Training with power can have a huge impact on the way you race. Training in determined power zones will help build your “engine.” Unlike speed which can be variable due to terrain, dehydration, wind, road surface quality, etc., riding to power means you can manage your efforts in a race so that you can set yourself up for a quality run. I’m impartial to the Garmin Rally RS200 or RK200 because each pedal reads power and they are easy to switch between bikes.

Use an Aero Helmet. An aero helmet smooths the airflow around your head and reducing drag. Approximately 90% of the energy your produce while cycling is used to overcome the air resistance produced by your body and bike. On a tri bike your head is one of the first things air resistance meets, an aero helmet helps make that meeting smooth and fast. For hot and humid races, I prefer aero road helmets like the Lazer Bullet or Kask Utopia.

Upgrade your wheels, tires, and tubes. These are the first point of contact between your bike and the road surface. Aero wheels are a proven energy-saving upgrade as they are designed to cut through the wind, and upgrading your tires and tubes (unless you run tubular or tubeless tires) will help cut down on rolling resistance. Lowering the rolling resistance of your tires and tubes means going faster while producing the same amount of power compared to tires and tubes that have higher rolling resistance. Some of the best aero wheels come from companies like Zipp, Enve, or the more affordable Reynolds. For tires, I’m a fan of the Continental Grand Prix 5000 Clincher Tire which has low rolling resistance, low weight, and decent puncture resistance. If you run tubeless, then consider the Vittoria Corsa Speed Graphene 2.0 for racing which is the fastest tire on the market. And the fastest tubes on the market are latex tubes.

—

Coach Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 3 Coach, and also holds a USA Triathlon Level I Coaching Certification specializing in Long Course Racing, a UESCA Triathlon Coaching Certification, and a TRX Coaching Certification. He is available for individual coaching, one-on-one sessions, and performance testing. He can be reached at jim.rowe@playtri.com.

Why Advanced Sweat Testing with Playtri?

Humans are the reigning pound for pound World Sweat Champions. It is believed that high sweat rates were promoted in the gene pool when hunter gatherers were spending their days on the hot, dry African Savannah. They were able to compete with the animals in the area by gathering in the daylight while the animals who could not sweat stayed in place in the shadows until the temperatures cooled. They were also able to hunt animals through a method called “endurance hunting”. Animals that they hunted could outrun them over short distances from shade to shade. Like the tortoise and the hare, the humans would eventually catch up to the animal until the animal inevitably overheated and could not make it to the next shade and would provide sustenance for the humans.

Humans still insist on performing endurance activities in the heat and even though the stakes are lower, we want to optimize that performance to the best of our abilities. Significant sweat loss leads to decreased performance as you lose the ability to regulate internal temperature, decreased blood volume and increased cardiovascular strain, and loss of large amounts of electrolytes which can lead to muscular cramping. To prevent these from happening as you train or race for multiple hours you need to know the volume of sweat and the sodium concentration that you lose. If you know these values, you can pre-load, maintain, and top-off so you can fuel and recover well and avoid significant drop-offs in performance hour-after-hour, day-after-day.

I have my athletes measure the volume of sweat they are losing by keeping a log of body weight lost, fluids consumed in weight, and weather conditions. The simplest method is to weigh yourself naked, run outside for an hour without taking in any fluids or nutrition or using the bathroom, and weighing yourself naked after. The chemical composition of that sweat lost is much more difficult to measure but has been made easier thanks to Precision Fuel and Hydration’s Advanced Sweat Test, which is a non-invasive test that tells you how much sodium per liter of sweat you are losing.

This number is important to test and know, because it may vary up to over 500% between athletes - we have had athletes who lose 200-400mg of sodium, those who lose 2,000 to 2,200mg of sodium, and everywhere else between. If you are replacing your sweat loss with inadequate levels of sodium, you are diluting your blood’s sodium concentration. This study which gave athletes salt tabs or placebo tabs and had them drink the appropriate volume of water or sports drink, found that the group which replaced a significant amount of salt went 26 minutes faster on average over a 70.3 compared to the placebo group.

Sodium is the electrolyte that you lose in the greatest concentration, in addition to (unfortunately) being the most important to help you absorb and retain fluid in your blood. At the end of the test, you will sit down with one of Playtri’s coaches and review the provided racing and training hydration plan. Playtri’s 20+ years of experience and nutrition/hydration inventory will help you reach your potential.

Product recommendations:

Skratch Labs Hydration Mix. This mix has a relatively low flavor profile and carbohydrate concentration so you can tolerate many servings through your activity and the water and electrolytes will be digested efficiently.

SaltStick Elixalyte. This can be added to your hydration mix to meet your electrolyte needs without adding anything else. There are no calories or flavors. The sodium comes from Sodium Citrate which is digested comfortably by your gut unlike Sodium Chloride.

Visit https://www.playtri.com/testing to read more and schedule your test.

Coach Jim's Tri Tips: Cooling Strategies for Hot Training + Racing

It is hot and humid outside pretty much everywhere these days. As you work on becoming more acclimatized to the heat, remember to slow your pace, keep on an eye on your heart rate, avoid the hottest parts of the day, and increase your hydration while training.

Controlling your core body temperature is essential for pacing in any sport in the heat. When your core body temperature increases, you also experience cardiac drift, where heart rate increases and your pace stays the same or decreases. Furthermore, when your core body temperature increases, your body increases sweat and skin blood flow to help control that increase and takes the necessary blood flow away from working muscles. When this happens, we start to feel like we are expending more energy when we are actually not. The energy has just been diverted. As the energy has been diverted to cooling the body, if we do not slow down and address the increased core body temperature then we are at risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

During competition and training we can address this increase in core body temperature by hydrating (make sure and check out our Advanced Sweat Testing at www.playtri.com/testing for your best hydration strategy), maintaining electrolyte balances, and acclimatizing to the heat. However, these are not the only practices to adopt for training and racing during the summer months. Pre-cooling to slightly lower your core body temperature before you start can extend the amount of time you can train or race before you hit that critical temperature threshold that causes your performance to decline.

If you watch any of the Grand Tours in professional cycling, you can see the athletes applying different pre-cooling strategies during their warm up protocol before time trials. They use ice vests, stockings filled with ice placed on the back of their necks, fans, shade, and water mist to help regulate their core body temperature.

At Playtri we use pre-cooling strategies to help athletes lower their core body temperature before they start training or racing, which can extend the amount of time before they hit that critical temperature threshold that causes performance to decline. Here are three pre-cooling strategies that I use with all my Playtri athletes when the heat and humidity show up.

• Freeze a paper cup of your favorite hydration product, such as Skratch 10-20 minutes before your next workout or race in the heat, drink your hydration product slushy and get on your way.

• Wet a few hand towels, place them in the freezer overnight. Then put them on your neck, head, back, and between your thighs 10-15 minutes before your workout. Then put them back in the freezer so that they are ready for you when you are done with your workout.

• Cold Water Immersion. Take a cold shower or bath before your next training session in the heat. This is not practical for race day, so an alternative for race day is those frozen hand towels.

Pre-cooling is very effective, but the positive performance impacts last only about 20-25 minutes. Once those performance impacts wear off, you can use some of these strategies in addition to hydrating and maintaining electrolyte balances to regulate your core body temperature.

• Keep your kit wet on the bike. Take water hand offs at all aid stations and get your kit wet.

• Put ice on your torso during the run. Put ice in your sports bra, in your pockets, and down the front and back of your race kit.

• Ice your neck and head during the run. Wear a hat (not a visor) and a neck cooler or bandana to hold ice in these locations. Add water and ice to these at all aid stations.

• Ice peripheral arteries during the run. Put ice in your arm coolers (if you are wearing them) and hold ice in your hands.

• Wear light colored kit for hot races. (Google Torbjørn Sindballe and look at the white kit he wore in Kona 2007, including one latex glove he wore to hold ice.)

Remember that it is important to try these pre-cooling and core temperature management strategies during training before you try them on race day. For my Playtri athletes who have upcoming hot and humid races, I encourage them to try out these core temperature management strategies at least 2-3 times before race day by setting up a loop or out-and-back course for their bike and run training that will bring them back to their house where they have a cooler stocked with lots of ice and cold water. Learning how to manage the heat is a part of summer racing that can be developed with practice.

If you have questions about how to beat the heat, or want to know more about coaching options, you can email me at jim.rowe@playtri.com, or visit my bio linked below.

Jim Rowe is a Playtri Level 4 Coach, a USAT LI Certified Coach, and NASM Certified Personal Trainer 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.