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Hiking the Swiss Alps Day... Dave crossing a snowfield Day 4 of 7: July 20, 2008 After another sleepless night...
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Mid-Atlantic 140.6 Triath... The Challenge. Ten triathletes stepped up to the challenge of our weekend 140.6 Triathlon...
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Pickle Juice: How a Heavy... Yesterday, I sweated out 23 pounds of sweat in 3 x 1.5 hour Bikram Yoga classes....

Reflections on Luray Triathlon and Changing Ironma...

I feel tired. One week after the Luray Triathlon and I feel worse than if I had raced an Ironman (I've done 2 so far this year).  I'm mentally and emotionally drained. But, this is what I'm about: "Using high energy to achieve a calculated outcome" per my Personalysis assessment from when I worked as a business analyst at Capital One.  I give 110% for a couple weeks then I crash. I'm...
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Vineman – a Beautiful Race...

I felt the fingers brushing my feet every few minutes when I slowed to pop my head up to breathe during the 2.4-mile swim, but I was content to lead the two swimmers I towed behind me. “I’m happy! I’m happy! I'm happy!” I kept repeating this phrase to myself again and again on the 112-mile bike. I smiled at the photographers and, on my second bike loop, I greeted as many athletes that I passed...
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Tom overcomes at Ironman Lake Placid to PR by 100+...

My friend and coaching client, Lt Col Tom Impellitteri, USMC, successfully completed Ironman Lake Placid this past weekend, improving his 2009 finish time by more than 100 minutes with significant improvements in all 5 race splits: swim, T1, bike, T2 and run. Wow! What is amazing about his story is not how well he did, but rather how well he overcame three significant adverse situations during his race – any of...
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First Impressions of Boulder...

I have been in Boulder, Colorado, for almost two weeks now since arriving here with Krista and Princess (my Dalmatian) pulling a small U-haul trailer behind my Volvo wagon. Here are my first impressions on a city that many consider the epicenter of triathlon. No matter where I am standing in Boulder, I can see the mountains.  I'm sitting her typing this blog article and looking out at the mountains.  I...
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A Taste of Bittersweet after Ironman Coeur d’...

To me, the Ironman-distance is an ever changing puzzle waiting to be solved – 1,000 pieces scattered across the table that must be carefully and meticulously assembled over months and months of preparation for a single day of 140.6 miles of racing applied across different temperatures, terrains, wind conditions and scenery. Even after completing Ironman Coeur d’Alene as my 27th race at the distance, “I...
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On Trust and the Paradox of Performance...

I have prepared my whole life for Ironman Coeur d'Alene on Sunday – a 140.6-mile odyssey of swimming, biking and running against the clock. I demand of myself nothing less than excellence, as I draw on 39 years of experience, learning and self-analysis. Paradoxically, what happens on race day means both everything and nothing. It means everything because a fast race as an age grouper opens up more doors of possibility...
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Feedback on an Athlete’s Ironman 70.3 Nutrit...

With triathlon season in full swing, I thought it would be helpful to review a sample triathlon nutrition plan.   Race day nutrition becomes increasingly more and more important as race distance increases since the body has only a limited supply of carbohydrate stores.  Plus, with hot and humid race temperatures, hydration is also critical.  One of my clients, Bill Beyer of Beyer Project fame, shared...
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Advice from a River – Go with the Flow...

From Advice From a River by Ilan Shamir: Live simply and gracefully in Your own True Nature moving, flowing, allowing, serene and on course It takes time to carve the beauty of the canyon rough waters become smooth Go around the obstacles Stay current The beauty is in the journey!  My goal race and focus for this year is a sub-9 hour race at Ironman Coeur d'Alene (2.4-mile swim / 112-mile bike / 26.2-mile...
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My Triple-T Race Report...

What is Triple-T? Well, according to the race jerseys we wore all weekend, TTT is: 3 days 4 triathlons 140+ miles 1 epic event Essentially, it's an Ironman-distance race broken down into four smaller races completed over a weekend. For me, Triple-T was a solid training event, a stepping-stone to my first big race of the season – Ironman Coeur d’Alene at the end of June.  My goal was to race hard,...
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Mid-Atlantic 140.6 Triathlon Training Camp...

The Challenge. Ten triathletes stepped up to the challenge of our weekend 140.6 Triathlon Training Camp challenge at Lake Sherando near the northernmost point of the Blue Ridge Parkway. What is the significance of 140.6?  It's the total distance in miles completed during an Ironman-distance triathlon with its characteristic 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run.  It's my favorite distance and...
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Kinetic Sprint Triathlon Race Report...

Race: Kinetic Sprint Triathlon at Lake Anna, VA Distance:  750 meter swim / 18 mile bike / 5 Km run Finish time: 1:18:38 (5th overall) Swim: 00:11:44 (10th) T1: 00:01:39 (22nd) Bike: 00:45:25 (4th) T2: 00:00:28 (19th) Run: 00:19:23 (6th) Summary: I had fun and my fitness is where it needs to be for today.  That sums up my race. Race Report: First, congratulations to everyone who raced...
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Protein During Intense Endurance Exercise: Yes or ...

If you consume protein during prolonged endurance exercise, will it improve your performance? Yes, it will improve your performance. BUT, only if you are not already consuming an optimal level of carbohydrates. Let me explain. The Limiting Factor Carbohydrate is the limiting factor in moderate to high intensity exercise, as your body stores a limited amount as glycogen in the muscles and liver and glucose in the blood....
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Focus – Nothing Else Matters...

"Nothing else matters." - Metallica This quote is written across the bottom of my triathlon "Vision Sheet" – my written statement of what I want to accomplish this year in the sport of triathlon and that I have pasted to my bathroom mirror so that I see it every single day.  My written statement is my dream I will realize if my hundreds of hours of training and single-minded focus converge...
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Winning the Balancing Act with a Weekly Plan...

A huge challenge that many triathletes – and truthfully many people for that matter – have is managing time.   There are just too many things to do, too many things to think about and too many commitments to meet  in order to do everything: spouse/partner, family, job, friends, hobbies, workouts, school,  social activities, etc.   When I sit down and think about all the roles I play in...
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Timing Is Everything: The Magic Carbohydrate Windo...

Given the volume of swim, bike and run training for an Ironman Triathlon (10-25 hours per week depending on individual and time of year), nutrition is critical before, during and after a workout in order to ensure optimal performance during a workout as well as set us up for success for the next workout, which may be the same day. Timing is everything. The Magic Carbohydrate Window After Exercise With a plethora of articles...
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