Girls on the Run

Running has played a pretty important role in my life and I truly am passionate about turning everyone I meet into a runner and/or a triathlete:)

I recently started volunteering with "Girls on the Run" which is a program that teaches girls self esteem through running - pretty darn cool.  It is a national program that is distributed locally through elementary schools.  We had our celebratory 5K a couple weeks back which was pretty amazing - over 100 elementary school girls running a 5K and supporting each other to the finish line - powerful stuff.  The program was featured last night on NBC Nighlty News.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

If you are interested in learning more - shoot me a note or chech out the website for Girls in the Run Franklin County.  Also - here is a picture of the Girls on the Run team that I was working with this Spring....

How to Set the Right Pace for your Bike and Run

How hard should I push it on the bike?  I can run an X:XX marathon, how fast should I start the run section of my Ironman?  If you have ever asked yourself these questions then you, like me, may find Mark Allen's recent article very useful.  Mark shares some step by step tips for pacing sprint, olympic, half, and full Iron distance races.  Enjoy!  

Chris Lieto at the 2010 Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona

 
By Mark Allen USA Triathlon
One of the most interesting elements of a triathlon is the run. It is the final leg of the race, and because of that is always going to be when an athlete is the most tired.
You don't get to run on fresh legs like you do in a 5K or 10K running race. And with that fatigue comes the potential for big differences between well-paced runs and poorly paced ones.
In a 10K running race, the difference between a good run and one where you went out too fast may be 30 to 60 seconds. However, in an Olympic-distance triathlon, the difference can be three to five minutes. If you look at the variance in Ironman run times, a well-paced run can be 30 minutes faster than the athlete who went too fast too early.
The first tip for pacing your runs correctly is (read entire article here)

Updated Spend Amounts...

Current Amount Spent in Training for 2011 Florida Ironman:  $8316

Some recent purchases really added up quickly - a new bike, a couple flights to Florida for the IM, and I am already over the $8000 mark.  Total spend to date:  $8316 with 4 months to go....already blew through the $8000 budget:)

To Infinit or not to Infinit....

So, previous Ironpeople have hinted that the key to race day success is nutrition (and of course lots of training).  If you do everything right in the training department, but are off in terms of race day nutrition - you are screwed.  Many suggest practicing your nutrition on longer work outs to see what works for you.

For the past couple months, Becca and I have been using Infinit (http://www.infinitnutrition.us/) as our on-the-bike nutrition. 

The powder solution mixes to a drink of 280 calories per bottle.  On the bike, the goal is to consume one bottle per hour.  Infinit claims that this is the only nutrition you need on the bike (there is a run mix as well).  No gels, no cliff bars, no nothing.  Becca and I both tried this during a long brick this past weekend, but are not 100% sold and would love to hear what other people think.  Is 280 calories per hour enough/too much on the bike?  Can you really complete an Ironman with only liquid nutrition (this girl likes to eat!).  Infinit seemed to get the job done during our long brick - but if you have tried Infinit and had good (or not so good results) let us know what you think....

Help, I’m CRAMPING!! . . . Are salt tablets the solution for me?

The answer to this question depends on who YOU are.  First we need to identify the source of your cramps.  There are two main categories of muscle cramping; (1) cramping due to the state of your muscles, and (2) muscle cramping due to your nutrition.  This two minute video from Dr. Jordan Metzl will help you understand the basics.

If your cramping is due to nutrition then salt tablets may help.  However, it is important to realize that the solution isn’t simply MORE salt.  The solution is the proper ratio taken at the right time (before you need it and undetected by your body).  If you slam down 2 or 3 salt tablets when you need them, you will likely find yourself bent over at the side of the road nauseous and vomiting. 

Steve Born wrote a solid article outlining the proper balance, the following is an excerpt from that article.  “The solution for proper electrolyte replacement during endurance exercise is to do it gradually and in a way that does not override normal body mechanics. Electrolyte intake needs to be below systemic detection, yet provide support to systemic depression . . . when consuming electrolytes, it has to be done in a way that falls under the "radar detection system" of the body while still providing optimal support.”

So, what should you do??  First determine the source of your cramping then realize that it is important not only to stay hydrated, but also to ensure you maintain the proper electrolyte balance.  If you do this then you will likely avoid the dreaded Hyponatremia. 

I have found that a consistent regiment of ENDUROLYTES by Hammer Nutrition does the trick.  If you want to pickup a bottle use this link for 15% off.

Lessons Learned:

1.      Not all cramping is due to dehydration

2.      More salt isn’t always the answer

Chipotle Sweet Potato Salad!

Here is a spicy new dish that we recently learned about at Just-Tri training camp.  We loved it so much we had Becca whip up another batch. 

Here is a pic of Becca's creation & a link to the recipe, Enjoy!

Just Tri Training Camp

We hope to use this blog mainly for knowledge sharing.  How do I use a foam roller?  What do I drink on the bike?  How many cliff bars can one person physically eat within a 3 hour time period without projectile vomiting?  Topics similar to this....

But this post is purely documentary based.  Becca, David and myself spent the past weekend at Just Tri training camp.  Camp was a weekend planned by Coach McCoy to help with the physical and mental aspects of triathlon racing.

The three of us headed down to Camp Hope (part of Hocking Hills area) on Friday afternoon.  About 30 minutes into the trip, I realized I forgot my running shoes.  We made a short detour to Dick's Sporting Goods, bought me some new running shoes, and then were back on our way.

The weekend consisted of:
Friday:  Bike hill repeat work out
Saturday:  45 mile crazy hilly bike/4 mile run brick work out followed by an afternoon swim/transition practice
Sunday:  9-12 mile trail or road run

Overall, the weekend was pretty awesome.  Lots of cool people doing something that they are passionate about.  Also, somehow I managed to not have to cook or clean up a meal all weekend.  Bonus.