What should a triathlete do in the winter?
With the coming of shorter days, colder weather and the winter holidays, the triathlon season is officially over (i.e. the “off season” or “transition season” as I like to call it)…well, at least for most of us. As a triathlon coach, the number one question I get from the athletes I coach is, “What do I do now?” There are a number of things to do this winter in order the balance the need for: Downtime from the current racing season to avoid burnout, refresh mentally and recover from any lingering injuries and Carrying over and further developing an...
Read MoreFrom coach to athletes: what to bring and how to use it on Ironman race day
Three of my triathlon coaching clients are racing in Ironman triathlons this coming weekend (Ironman Canada, Ironman Louisville) for this first time so I put together a list of “what to bring” to Ironman along with a “how to use it” during an Ironman race. These 140.6 mile triathlons are a little different than shorter triathlons for the following reasons: Mass swim start with more than 2,000 people. It’s a long day – 8 hours for the winners and up to 17 hours for the final finishers. Temperatures and weather can vary from the early morning to mid day to...
Read MoreThe Basics of Monitoring Heart Rate when Exercising
If your goal is weight loss or improved fitness monitoring your heart rate can help you achieve success. How fast or how hard should I go? I frequently start working with women who have been going too fast or too slow during their workouts to get the most benefit from each session. Furthermore, there are many popular formulas for determining exercise intensity that will not work well for most individuals. An easy way to determine your proper pace and intensity during exercise is to use a heart rate monitor, which can be a powerful tool for helping you with your fitness goals. This...
Read MoreElite Bicycles: 7 Hour Fit to Individual Perfection
At 4:45 PM, I was more than four hours into my bike fit at Elite Bicycles in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon and I had not even climbed on my bike yet. I was what Elite Bicycles Founder and Fitter David Greenfield called an “advanced fit.” I’ve raced well as a triathlete on my current bike and my current bike fit. I set an 8:51 PR at the Quelle Challenge 2007 with a 4:45 bike split over the 112-mile bike course. I’ve had three different bike fits done on this bike in the past and felt “fairly well” dialed in. Why get a bike fit? I always thought in the...
Read MoreExercising Outdoors in Colder Weather
Training in the winter brings two additional challenges – colder temperatures and shorter days. Both can drive an athlete to bike inside on a trainer and run inside on a treadmill, but this does not necessarily need to be the case all of the time. Exercising outdoors in cold weather can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. At the very least, the trails will not be crowded and the scenery will change. Plus, training in colder weather will help toughen you up mentally. Here are some suggestions to better prepare for training outdoors in cold weather: Layer clothing: Use synthetic...
Read MoreHow to Pack a Tri Bike for Air Travel
One of my coaching clients, who is racing in Miami 70.3 in a few weeks, asked me about traveling with a bike: “Should I take my bike on the plane or ship it to the race site? How do I pack it securely?” There a few considerations, namely cost and convenience. Although I have on one occasion shipped my bike to the hotel where I’ll be staying, I usually take my bike with me on the plane so that it travels with me. Plus, I can train with it up until the last possible moment rather than have pack up and ship ahead of time. All airlines require a fee. I’ve had to pay the airline’s...
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