Taking The Handcuffs Off!

Winners embrace hard work. They love the disciples of it, the trade-off they're making to win. Losers, on the other hand, see it as punishment. And that's the difference. - Lou Holtz

Do you want to be the best you can be at triathlon? If so it takes sacrifice and getting out of your comfort zone. Not everyone is willing to do it, but we are all capable.

When I switched to my new Coach Torsten Abel I had a choice to make. I would either give him restrictions on my training in regards to time, what I don't like to do, etc, or I would give him full control. Some of you may be thinking why would someone  handcuff their coach, but many athletes do.

There was no...

• I don't have time for that. 
• I don't need to swim that much, because it is only a small % of the overall race
• I want to do this group ride/run/masters
• I hate running hills.
• I am not running that slow.
• I am not going to let the senior citizen group pass me during my ride.
• I want to ride with my friends all the time.
• I don't do recovery days.
• I don't want to do drills in the pool.
• My running form is fine; I don't need to work on it.
• Coach wants me to do this today, but I am going to swap it with my workout later in the week.

 

That is just a small sampling of things that you hear triathletes saying.  This is further proof that not everyone is willing to do everything necessary to get faster and be a better athlete.

There is a reason that the top pros and age groupers are so accomplished.. It is due to the immense time and effort they put into their training (workouts, recovery, nutrition). Yes, there are those that have natural ability; however, most bust their asses day in and day out.

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen. - Michael Jordan

Happy training!

Nowhere To Hide!

A few days ago I found myself out on the Sonoran Parkway putting in a solid hour at Tempo effort. On most days the parkway is the place to go when you want to lay down some focused training miles! 7.5 miles of smooth, fast, and uninterrupted pavement!  It was still smooth and uninterrupted, but definitely not fast! The winds were whipping from all directions, but that wasn't going to stop me from getting out there and doing my training.

I find it very interesting that in a sport like triathlon where you are meant to ride by yourself; that so many athletes ride with groups on a regular basis.  I am not saying group rides are a bad thing, but when that is your only type of riding it definitely puts you at a disadvantage during a race.

I personally ride alone a lot for a few reasons. The first being there is nowhere to hide when the going gets tough!  Too many times I hear athletes freaking out when the forecast calls for wind on race day.  It doesn't have to be that way!

When you are riding with a group and the wind picks up many athletes will duck in behind another rider and take advantage of the draft.  If you are out to excel on race day then that is definitely not the thing you want to do.  When riding alone you have no choice but to battle the wind.  Not only will battling the wind teach you to handle your bike better, but it will make you mentally stronger! That way on race day when your competitors are on edge due to the conditions. You can think back on all those times you suffered alone and know you are well prepared. Below is a note from my coach on yesterdays workout.
  
"well done on keeping the wattage band smooth and flat. You are showing good cycling skills, Brian. I like it very much. Despite winds and some rollers your power output stayed constant. The winds are actually good training for St.George." Coach Torsten Abel

I always am more confident with my ability on race day when I can go out and execute a key workout in non optimal conditions.  

 The second being that if you are going to race in the aero position you should train in the aero position! Your body needs to get used to that position, and you recruit different muscles when in aero. If you are riding with a group the only time you should be in the aero is if you are off the front.  The rest of the time you should be sitting up and last time I checked you don't race your tri bike sitting up!

Like I said above riding with the group is not always a bad thing!  Group rides definitely have a place in most athletes training regime. There is the social aspect, bike handling skills, and riding with a group can help push you at times.

So ride with the group, but don't forget to log your solo miles to help better prepare you for race day!

Looking forward to 2015!

With 2015 upon us, it is time to start thinking about races and goals. Most of us started this process at the end of last year, but there are many who haven't even thought about it.

I have already set my goals for 2015 and chosen the races that will help me achieve them. Some of you are wondering what I mean by "the races that will help me achieve those goals."? The races I have picked to be"A" races will help me reach my #1 goal in 2015, which is to qualify for 70.3 Worlds in Austria and 70.3 Worlds in Mooloolaba. If the race isn't an "A" race then it is a "B" or "C" and has been chosen to ensure it doesn't interfere with me reaching the ultimate goal of getting to 70.3 worlds. Too many athletes pack their race schedules and never take into consideration how each race may have a negative impact on their main goal. Also, if you are coached make sure to run your schedule by your coach. They are there to help with your season planning and should be able to identify scheduling conflicts with races, training, and recovery. If they are not willing to help you or just accept it without any discussion then it might be time to hire another coach.

I know there are those out there that just like to race and that is ok. However, if you are out to improve your race results, qualify for various events, etc... make sure you map out your season in a way it will help you reach those goals!

My Race Schedule
Badger Cove Half Marathon
70.3 St. George
70.3 Boise
ITU Worlds Chicago
Life Time Tempe
70.3 Austin

USAT Age Group Nationals

Have you ever wanted to see how you stack up against the top short course athletes in the United States? If so, USAT Age Group Nationals is the event for you! I know, I know there are some of you who think that it is "just" an Olympic and/or Sprint.  It may just be an Olympic and Sprint, but you can't show up to this race and lay down a 2:10-2:15 Oly or a 1:07-1:10 Sprint and think you will be near the top of most of the men's age groups. This was especially true for the 35-39 age group. 

One of the great things I love about Nationals is you have to be a well rounded triathlete to earn a spot on Team USA.  This year was even more competitive with the ITU Grand Finale being hosted in Chicago next year.  I came into the Olympic distance knowing I would need to blow my Oly PR away if I had any shot at the top 25 in my age group.  In 2013 you had to go a 2:05 or faster to earn a spot so, that was the time I had in my head going into the race.  My goal was to swim a sub 23, bike an hour or under, and run like I was being chased by a cheetah.

Throw in 3-4 minutes of total transitions and that left me running a sub 40:00 10k.

This year I got lucky and the 35-39 wave was the first wave of the day so, I would know exactly where I was in the field throughout the race.  When I came out of the water the volunteers were yelling out positions and I was 63rd out of the water with a time of 22:52. Goal of sub 23 checked off in my head. That still left me with a lot of work to do on the bike and run.  Once on the bike I didn't feel quite like myself and my power #s showed that, but I wasn't going to let that get to me mentally.  I worked my way up to 33rd on the bike with a time of 1:00.  Now it was time to see what the legs had for the run.  I ran myself from 33rd in my age group to 53rd with a time of 42:40.  The cheetah definitely got me!  I did end up with an Olympic distance PR and am very happy with that!

 

Now back to how FAST this event is and how well rounded you have to be. 1st in my age group went a 1:51:44 and 8th went 1:59:46. That left 12 spots for us mortals over the 2:00 mark. This year those twelve spots were separated by two minutes and 42 seconds! As you can see there is very little room for error.  Even if I hit my goal of 2:05 I would have missed out on a Team USA slot in the Olympic, but I know no matter what I got my ass kicked by some of the best.

With the Olympic done it was time to focus on the Sprint.  In my eight years of racing I have only raced on back to back days once, but there was not much on the line the second day of that double. Sunday was a different story! I had one goal in the Sprint and that was to go top 25.  Last year I went a 1:07 and was 11th in my age group. Again with Worlds being in the United States I knew I would need to do better than that.

My wave was the eighth of the day, but there was a 20 minute gap from the previous wave. The gun went off and to my surprise I felt really good in the water. I came out of the water in 11:47, but had no idea where I was in the field. I got on the bike and again felt pretty good given that I raced the day before. My 30:14 bike moved me from 33rd to 11th in my AG, but had no idea at the time. I threw my running shoes on and was hell bent on not getting passed.  I ended up running a 19:53. Got passed by two guys, but passed one at the half way point and held him and a few others off for 12th in my age group! I ended up with a 1:05:24 and a 2:00 PR from the previous year. Thankfully I had that PR in me since my time from last year would have left me outside of the top 25.

I had four goals coming into the weekend: Qualify for Team USA, PR the Olympic, run a sub 40 10k, and PR the Sprint.  With three of the goals reached; the weekend was successful, but I am not satisfied!   I still have a lot of work to do on my run. I am ready for the challenge and can't wait to work my ass off to get there.

My Nutrition Costs How Much!?!?

Over the past few weeks I have had a lot of discussions with friends about Generation UCAN and the benefits. One of the comments I hear is, "Sounds great, but wow is it expensive!".  Well I am here to tell you that in the end it is cheaper than most other sports nutrition products on the market.

One of the benefits of Generation UCAN is that you don't need to consume as many calories as you would if you were using traditional gels, drinks, blocks, bars, etc...  The "Superstarch", which is the main ingredient in Generation UCAN allows you to do a lot more with significantly less.

Below is the breakdown of different length of workouts

Four Hour Bike

Generation UCAN

Pre-Workout - Two scoops of Chocolate Protein - $5.20
During - Two scoops of CranRaz - $4.00
Post-Workout - One scoop of Chocolate Protein - $2.40

Total Cost of workout...$11.60

Typical Nutrition Options On The Market

Pre-Workout - Bar- $1.40

During - Hour 1 - Three gels - $3.90
Hour 2 - Blocks/Chews - $2.29
Hour 3 - Sport Drink - $2.23
Hour 4 - Three gels - $3.90

Post Workout - Recovery Mix - $2.28

Total Cost of Workout - $16.00

Two Hour Bike

Generation UCAN

Pre - One scoop of CranRaz - $2.00
During - Water
Post-Workout - One scoop of Chocolate Protein - $2.40

Total Cost of Workout - $4.40

Typical Nutrition Options On The Market

During - Hour 1 - Two gels - $2.60
Hour 2 - Sport Drink - $2.23
Post Workout - Chocolate Milk - $1.25

Total Cost of Workout - $6.08

I know this sport is expensive, but to fork over $16.00 for nutrition during a four hour workout is ridiculous!  Not only is Generation UCAN easier on the stomach, but it is a little easier on the wallet compared to traditional nutrition products.

Going Gluten Free

Over the past month, I have made the transition to a gluten free diet. Not because I have a gluten allergy, but because of some issues I have been having with my body.  Back in 2007, I had an MRI on my back and was diagnosed with degeneration of L4/5.  The pain in the back eventually went away, but this past October it the pain came back with a vengeance!  From October until January, I tried about everything to reduce the pain. Slept on a piece of plywood, inversion table, yoga, stretching, dry needling, PT, and probably a few other things I can't recall.

My PT, Jon Davison, at ProActive recommended I get an epidural. He referred me over to the Integrative Pain Center next door.  I chatted with the doc about all the issues I have had over the past few years, including my back.  He was on board with the epidural, but he suggested I try a few other things. The first was a diet high in anti-inflammatory foods.  For those that know me well, this is something I already do.  The second thing was trying a gluten free diet.  At first I was hesitant, but I told him I would look into it.  With that discussion over, we scheduled an MRI to rule out any major issues prior to the epidural.  Within a few days I was back in getting the epidural.

Over the next few days after the epidural, I started reading up on endurance athletes that have gone gluten free.  The first article I came across was "Should You Become A Gluten Free Athlete" by Caitlan Chock.  There isn't a lot of scientific data in the article, but it does talk about top athletes that have made the switch with great success.  The biggest benefit of the gluten free diet is reducing the amount of inflammation that is in the body, but that isn't the only benefit! I will discuss more about that below.

After reading the article, I started searching for gluten free options of the foods I like and come to find out I already eat a diet low in gluten, but not completely void of gluten.  Since it wasn't going to be a huge deal to switch, I decided to make the switch on February 8th and haven't looked back!  Working from home made the switch even easier, but I have traveled a few times since the 8th and found it easy to eat gluten free on the road.  Most restaurants have gluten free menus, but if they don't most will have gluten free options on their menu.

Foods I eat on a regular basis....
Quino
Sweet Potatoes
Rice (White & Brown)
Gluten free pancakes (They are actually really good!)
Fruits (Bananas, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, rasberries)
Veggies (kale, collard greens, spinach, bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, beets, avocados)
Oils (EVO, Grapeseed, Coconut)
Eggs
Chicken
Fish
Steak
Coconut Milk
Almond Milk
Cashews
Almonds
Walnuts


Have I felt different since I went gluten free?  Going gluten free requires you to make better choices when it comes to food.  Most processed foods and junk food contain gluten. I wasn't a big junk food guy to begin with, but this really helps keep me away from it when I have cravings.  I now eat cleaner and healthier than I ever have before.  This will hopefully lead to better performance, recovery, and overall health!

If you want your body to perform like a formula one race car you have to fuel with nutrient rich foods!  Ask yourself this each time you reach for that unhealthy item.  "Will this help me reach my goals?"  If the answer is no, put it down!  It takes commitment and can be hard at times, but if you are serious about reaching your goals whatever those may be you will stick to it.  There is a reason that America is fat, and that is because it is EASY to eat horrible.

Happy eating!

Big Island Training

It is Sunday morning and I am packing for the flight home after a week of training on the Big Island.  When planning for this trip, I wasn't sure what to expect regarding the conditions. You hear about the winds, heat, humidity, etc... that make the Ironman World Championship such a brutal race.  Is that just a Fall thing or is it always like that? Luckily all I was coming out to do was train, so I was going to take whatever the island was going to dish out during the week!

What I discovered was that the conditions were pretty much on par to what is talked about by all the athletes that race the World Championships and train in Kona!

Kiholo Bay from the Queen K at turn around

The first day of training started with a quality run to town on Ali'i Drive.  It was amazing to see so many people out on a Monday morning getting their bike, run, walk, etc.. in to start their day.  After knocking out the run, I hopped on the Trek Speed Concept for a ride out on the Queen K.  I followed the Ironman route on my way out and I was making great time at a relatively easy pace.  There was a good reason for this and I would find out when I stopped at a scenic overlook to head back to town.

Just a little rain

Once headed back to town, I was riding right into a very stiff headwind. On top of that, it started to rain, and then began pouring.  It got to the point where the rain was starting to sting, but there is not much to hide under on the Queen K. You just press on and hope it stops!  Luckily it was a tropical rain, so it wasn't cold at all.  With the rain and wind it took about 15 minutes longer to get back to the house at the same effort.

Monday we finished up with dinner at the house. We picked up fresh ahi from the market and grilled.  The fish is always amazing on the islands.

Tuesday Coach T had me set for a four hour combined effort bike that consisted of a long tempo effort in the

Before the ride

beginning and Zone 4/5 efforts at the end of the ride.  The weather was much better in regards to precipitation, but it was still hot, humid, and windy!  This time, the winds had shifted and I was facing a head wind on the way out.  I had decided I would make the Queens Marketplace in Waikoloa Beach Resort my turn around and refueling point.  There isn't much out on the Queen K, so if you do come out to train make sure you pick these spots and have enough on the bike for reserve just in case.  Once at the turn around I filled the bottles up, quick restroom break, and back on the Queen K!  With the tail wind, I got back to town a little faster than expected, so I was forced to turn back into the wind to finish out my zone 4/5 intervals. By this time, my legs were zapped and it took all I had to finish the workout.  A flat right in the middle of the intervals didn't help either.  I could of packed it in and headed back to the house, but I was not about to cut short a workout because of the conditions and getting a flat.  I had flatted earlier in the ride, so if I flatted again my ride was definitely done.  Luckily, I was able to finish up the workout without anymore flats. I was starving, so it was time for the world famous Da Poke Shack!

I ate two bowls of poke (2/3 lb each), and a Kalua Pork Hawaiian plate.  Both were amazing, but the poke was by far my favorite. I had a bowl of the Shack Special and a Sweet Hawaiian.  My eyes were a little bigger than my stomach, but I finished it all! I wasn't about to waste ahi that was caught just hours before being chopped up!  This will definitely be a must go every time we are on the Big Island!

Back at the house, I ran through my daily foam rolling routine to work out the kinks.  I rarely ever leave home without my Trigger Point GRID Foam Roller!  It is small enough to pack, and being hollow I can stuff things inside to save space.  That night, grilled chicken and sweet potatoes were on the menu.  Not just any sweet potato though, they were the Okinawa sweet potatoes!  Those and the Japanese sweet potatoes are my favorite.

Japanese Sweet Potato

Okinawa Sweet Potato

Wednesday was a recovery day and it was definitely needed heading into my run on Thursday. Wednesday consisted of a swim out to the 1.2 mile buoy and back on the Ironman World Championship course.  Coming from Tucson, I don't get many chances to get in the open water, so I was definitely going to take advantage of this opportunity!  After the swim, an Acai bowl from Basik, which came highly recommended by Coach T, was on the agenda.  I went with The Drifter and was not disappointed! 

Something for everyone

The Drifter

I spent the rest of the day relaxing before finishing up with some run drills down near the beach.

That night I made dinner for the group from The Feed Zone cook book. I was planning on the Sweet Potato and Buffalo tacos, but couldn't find buffalo.  I substituted Hawaiian grass fed beef, and they were still delicious!  I also made a tofu version for the vegetarian athlete in the group.  I even had some of the tofu and couldn't even tell it was tofu!

Thursday was the training day I had been looking forward to all week!  Coach T had me running 1:45 with six minute tempo intervals at 6:50-7:00 pace.  It had been a long time since I had run that long and never had I run that long with that type of effort in the middle of it.  I decided to do the run along Ali'i drive from the house.  Ali'i had a few more hills than I expected, but felt great to be able to hold my tempo pace on the hills!  I am definitely feeling good about my run as 70.3 St. George draws near.

3/6 Ali'i Run Workout

I wrapped up Thursday' workouts with another swim on the Ironman World Championship course. Swimming out to the 1.2 mile buoy was a bit more of a challenge than the previous swim.  There were constant rollers of 3-4 feet, which made sighting difficult.  I took on the challenge since we can't always expect perfect conditions on race day and I LOVE swimming in rough water!  It wasn't a fast swim, but the confidence it builds will come in handy during races where the conditions are not optimal.

Friday was another light day in regards to intensity.  I headed out on the Queen K for a two hour endurance ride, and on the way back made a new friend. While I was riding back along Ali'i, I came up on a a rider on a Trek mountain bike. I wasn't paying much attention and shouted "on your left" and went on my merry way.  A short time later the same rider rolls up next to me and says "nice bike". Well hello Chris Lieto!  He started asking where I was from, what I was doing in Kona, how long I would be there, and who I was there with.  Told me where there was some good riding besides the Queen K. We rode for a bit longer together before I had to stop at the house.  One thing I love about this sport is the accessibility to the top professional athletes.  We not only get to race with them, but we see them out and about while training.  They are all very approachable and I have yet to have a pro not be friendly. That is definitely not the norm with professionals from other sports.

That night some of us headed out to Sansei Seafood and Sushi for dinner.  It is another must go when on the islands.  Not only is the food fantastic, but they run a happy hour special of 25-50% off on almost their entire menu.  There has never been a time where the line was not wrapped around the building. Luckily we had reservations and were able to head right in when they opened at 5:30.

  

Saturday was the last big day of training for the trip.  We decided to start out at the Queens Marketplace and ride toward Hawi. I had a three hour ride with a long tempo effort in the middle and a one hour run off the bike.  This was definitely going to be a test of my fitness and mental strength.  In the past, I had suffered when the conditions were hot and humid.  I think a lot of that had to do with my weight during that time of my life, and I was about to find out if that was true.

The ride out to Hawi was a challenge. It is not flat by any means and the winds got me on the return trip. I didn't make it all the way to Hawi, but got a big chunk of the route in.  It was definitely a good ride in preparation for St. George. By the time I was finishing up the ride, the temps had gotten to 80 with humidity very close to that. That is significant to someone that lives and trains where the humidity is in the teens during this time of year.

Queen K toward Hawi and back

The run...I headed out from the Queens Marketplace and got on the Queen K.  I felt terrific for the first 20 minutes and then I felt the wrath of the lava fields. Not only is it desolate, but there was no air flow and the sun was starting to peak out from behind the clouds. Lucky for me, I was going to turn off the Queen K and complete a loop back to the vehicle.  Unfortunately, I hadn't mapped it out very well and spent the last 20 minutes of my run trying to find my way through condos, lava fields, and golf courses. I eventually found my way back and completed the last big workout of the trip!  I didn't hit the average pace I wanted for the run, but I was happy with what I was able to put out, especially given that it was at the end of one of my biggest training weeks in a long time and in conditions that I am not acclimated to.

Sunday - I wrapped up the week with another swim from Dig Me Beach. This time the water was calm and was the perfect finish to the week.









Overall it was a great week of training and I got to know some great people! I ended up with 236 miles on the bike, 38 miles of running, and 3-4 miles of open water swimming.

One thing I didn't mention was my workout nutrition.  Given that a majority of athletes would be consuming 100s of calories in gels, blocks, sport drinks, or bars an hour you would assume I was doing the same to survive my workouts and the week.  I primarily fueled all of my long workouts with Generation UCAN and plain water.  I did do gels during my Thursday run, and that was a mistake.  For everything else I just had Skratch Labs Pineapple Hyrdation mix in my bottles.

Tuesday - 4 Hour Quality Combined Efforts

• 30 minutes before 
• One packet of Chocolate Protein GenUCAN mixed with water. (200 calories)
• 16 oz of h2o
• Bike
• Four packets of CranRaz GenUCAN mixed into a single bottle. (120 calories an hour)
• 5 20oz bottles of h2o
• Total Fuel - 680 calories, 116 oz of h2o
• Results - I never felt like I needed more calories or water. No stomach or bathroom issues.  However the true test was going to come on Saturday during the long brick.

Thursday - 1:45 Tempo Interval Run

• Run
• 32 oz of h2o
• 3 GU Gels
• Results - The run went well, but I experienced acid reflux toward the end of the run. This is something that has become a common occurrence and one reason I have switched to UCAN

Saturday - 3 hour 70.3 effort followed by a 1 hour endurance run

• 30 minutes before
• One packet of Vanilla Protein GenUCAN (180 calories)
• 16 oz of h2o
• Bike
• Three packets of CranRaz GenUCAN mixed into a single bottle. (120 calories an hour)
• 4 20 oz bottles of h2o
• Run
• One packet of Pom-Blue GenUCAN mixed into a 12oz bottle. (130 calories)
• 18 oz of h2o
• Total Fuel - 670 calories, 114 oz of h2o
• Results - Again, I never felt like I needed more calories. However, I do feel like I could of used a little more water.  Normally I get acid reflux on the run due to the gels I used take. That did not happen today.

Overall, I feel like Generation UCAN is going to be a great choice as my fuel during my workouts.  I will update you on the progress over the coming months.

With that, the sun has set on my Big Island training week, but as I arrived back on the mainland and watched the sun come up I am ready to make 2014 my best season yet.

Kona, HI Sunset Sunday Night

Sunrise 140 miles outside of Phoenix, AZ.