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Question: I started reading your blog and noticed that you’ve been doing quite a bit of traveling. I’m considering flying to a race later this summer and was wondering what hard-earned travel tips you could share. - Cyler

Fedofsky: Great question!

It’s hard to make a decision to move on from your coach when personal feelings and friendship is involved. In my case, I actually had to step back from the friendship I had with my coach and look at our relationship as athlete and coach. As an athlete, I felt my needs had changed and this prompetd my decision for the change.

It may be useful for you to make a list of 5 - 10 qualities that you would like your coach to possess. Then, look at your list and rank the top 3 important qualities. Now, consider your current coach - do they have these top 3 quailties? If so, then look more closely at the relationship itself and what you feel is not working with it, carefully approach the coach with your concerns and suggest ways the relationship can positively change.

If they do not possess those 3 qualities then you may have just found the reason you are looking for a change. Understand that as athletes we change and our needs change - at one time these qualities may not have been what you were seeking in a coach but perhaps that is what you need now. In that case, it’s ok to tell your coach that you are looking for something different now. Coachig is like any other service business - there will come a time where people are seeking a different type of service or something else to meet their needs. The most professional coaches understand this and accept it as a natural part of their work.

As athletes, we change and grow in body and mind. One coaching approach may be suitable for a certain part of our athletic career or goals but at a certain point you may feel it is time to move on to pursue a different path, to meet your new needs or to simply take the chance - as you say above - of being better with someone else. Be honest with your current coach and do your homework for finding a new coach. The transition will not be easy but one if made for the right decisions you will likely not regret.

Question: If you had $250 to spend for anything related to improving your triathlon performance, what would you purchase? What would you recommend an average age grouper purchase with that money? Shoes? Bike gear? Speed suit? Coffee? — Mark

Fedofsky: What a fun question!

$250 to improve my triathlon performance - easy! I would spend the money getting a detailed/videotaped swim, bike and run analysis from an expert in the sport. Though it would probably cost more that that! There is no toy that will make us fast - although there are lots of fun toys that look fast! We all know how to get fast - not by working harder but by working more efficiently. Triathlon is a sport of efficiency. I would have a swim instructor identify 3 things that I need to improve and teach me the ways to get there. I would have a cycling fit specialist look at my fit and my pedal stroke and help me make adjustments. I would have a run coach assess my form and give drills or strengthening exericses to improve. Now that I’ve thought about it - I just might put the money down and do those things!

As for age groupers - I suggest doing the same thing with $250. Honestly, I think seeking feedback and critique from experienced instructors is critical to improvement and becoming the best (and most efficient) triathlete you can be.

If you have triathlon-related questions for Liz, or just want to know more about the ways she drives her husband nuts, fire ‘em off to us at questions@theoutdoorjourney.com. You can read more about Liz’s adventures on her blog at http://elizabethfedofsky.blogspot.com/

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This turned out to be a great book./

After interviewing Rachel Cosgrove (click here to read part I and part II) about how she balances her training for two very physiologically diverse sports (powerlifting and triathlon), I became a fan of her methodology, philosophy and overall approach to multisports. She was gracious enough to send me a copy of the book she co-authored with Erika Lilley, “So you want to train for your first triathlon” to review.

Since the only thing I owe anybody in this world is the truth, I’ll confess that I did not have high expectations for Rachel’s book. While she has a solid background as a personal trainer and athlete, she is not a household name in the triathlon community. Plus, there are far too many triathlon books on the market that parrot each other and I’m automatically suspicious of the quality of any self-published e-books. There is a lot of crap floating around in the land of cyberpublishing.

Once I read through Rachel’s book, however, I was very impressed with her writing and the information she provided. If you had a tape recorder running while I was reading the book, you would have heard me mumble several times, “Wow…I wish I would have had this book when I started.”

As the title suggests, the book is geared toward the first-time, or neophyte triathlete. It is chock full of solid concepts and strategies that comprise the foundation of the sport and even seasoned age-groupers would benefit from going back and looking at this material from a fresh perspective.

Title: So you want to train for your first triathlon
Authors: Rachel Cosgrove and Erika Lilley
Pages: 119
Publisher: Results Fitness
Price: $39.99 (book); $29.99 (e-book)
Where to buy: www.rachelcosgrove.com

Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction
The authors introduce themselves and how they met each other through the sport of triathlon and later became training partners and coaches. They also provide a very brief section on the history of triathlon and talk a bit about who the book is geared toward.

Chapter 2: Setting goals and getting focused
This is the section that every triathlete needs to learn, and re-learn. Myself included. As someone who has a history of setting lofty goals and regularly getting his ass handed to him, I found this chapter quite insightful. The authors advocate using the S.M.A.R.T. tactic for goal setting: Specific, Measurable, Attainable (note to self: re-read this one!), Realistic, Timetable. They include some exercises and worksheets to help you think through the process to plan for your first race and your first season. After all, triathlon is a complex skills sport and unless you are coming into with a strong competitive background in swimming, running or cycling, you will need to plan on having your first few seasons, if not more, dedicated to spending a lot of time (and money) learning about your body, your abilities, your limits, and your strategies.

Chapter 3: Endurance training philosophies
Various key terms like maximum aerobic power, lactate threshold, exercise economy, and other tidbits of endurance lingo are introduced and put in their proper context. This is all done without trying to intimidate the reader with five-dollar words. Consider this the theory section that does a good job of explaining the overall philosophy of good program design without making your head spin with overly complex terminology. I was particularly thrilled to see the advocation for focusing training around an athlete’s weak spot. If you suck at the swim, guess what you’d better emphasize in training? The swim. Speaking of the swim, they also include a great section “6 for 3 Rules for Swimming” that addresses the one aspect of triathlon that scares more newcomers than anything else. They repeat this advice with “6 for 3 Rules for Cycling” and “6 for 3 Rules for Running.” In short, they boil down concepts into useful, take-away advice rather than go into the painful detail that Joe Friel usually takes a chapter to cover.

Chapter 4: Triathlon training program
Here, the authors get into the meat and potatoes of the book and start you with one of their semi-customized training programs for sprint or Olympic-distance races. They help you identify your training intensities with the help of a heart rate monitor and take you, week-by-week, through a 24-week training program. They provide an outstanding variety of effective, and time-tested workouts for the swim, bike and run. If you are new to the sport and can’t afford a coach, this section alone is worth the price of the book.

Chapter 5: Strength training for endurance athletes
Right out of the gate, Rachel and Erika tackle the aversion most multisport athletes have to picking up a barbell. They then dispel common myths about strength training and demonstrate just how important it is to incorporate the iron game into your training program. The program outlined in the book is excellent. It’s not the standard “do 30 reps with a 2-lb. pink dumbbell in each hand” type of routine. I can guarantee you won’t find any other triathlon book recommending Bulgarian squats, mobility drills, side planks, T push-ups or Romanian deadlifts. This is where the authors’ background with conditioning really shines. In addition, while small, the instructional photos are quite helpful.

Chapter 6: Flexibility for triathletes
Once again, the authors start out by explaining the importance of improving your flexibility as well as introduce several types of flexibility “philosophies.” They then move on to prescribe a flexibility routine with photos to show you the various movements.

Chapter 7: Getting the right gear
The reader is given two lists, “Need to Haves” and “Nice to Haves.” They’ve compiled a great list, with explanations for each item in each of the three sports and have sub-divided it even farther with gear recommendations for training and racing. The section covering wetsuits is particularly helpful if you’re considering making the investment in the second most expensive piece of gear (next to your bike).

Chapter 8: Nutrition and hydration
Nutrition is divided into “basic” and “performance” and covers a fairly broad topic with just the right amount of detail for the aspiring triathlete. This is not a diet book. Nor should it be. They do, however, get into a bit more detail on helping you develop a more specific nutrition strategy in the week leading up to your first race and tactics for nutrition and hydration for each of the three sports on race day.

Chapter 9: Injuries and prevention
If you stick with triathlon long enough, there’s a good chance you will encounter some type of setback due to injury. The authors cover the most common injuries in each of the three sports and provide recommendations on not only how to avoid the injury, but to how to fix it so you can get back in the game.

Chapter 10: Optimal recovery
The opening paragraph says it all: “You don’t get results from your actual training sessions. Your body actually gets broken down during your training and then rebuilds stronger after the workout is over. Your results come from your recovery. This is why recovery is so important to your success as a triathlete.”

Chapter 11: This is my first tri-what can I expect?
This is a great section for the first-time triathlete and is one I’m sure will be read over and over again. Heck, even those with a few seasons under their belt would find some great advice here. The authors cover the race from packet pick-up to post event planning. Who would ever think to plan for what happens after the race is over? Yet, with current trend of race directors turning the race into more of family-friendly festivity, you do have to start thinking about how you’re going to handle your gear, friends and family once your race has concluded.

Chapter 12: Wrap-up
It’s really not fair to even label this a chapter. It’s a one paragraph farewell from the authors.

What I Liked

• No extraneous details. The authors get right to what’s important and why it’s important to your success as a triathlete.
• The design is nice and simple and the photographs are well lit and well-done.
• Everything you need to know for your first triathlon is here. This book has it from A to Z.
• While I think there is plenty of information here, it is not enough to overwhelm the new triathlete. That’s a good thing.
• The strength training program appears to be well thought-out and I would predict an athlete would see some great mobility and strength (which equates to speed) gains if they incorporated it into their training.

What I Didn’t Like

• The pictures showcasing the various exercise and flexibility movements should have been at least twice as big.

Bottom Line
In spite of my initial apprehension about the quality of this book, I liked it. A lot. In fact, I highly recommend it as an addition to any triathlete’s library. I would even go as far as saying it should be mandatory reading (hint: a great gift) for anyone considering entering the sport of triathlon.

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Record-setting powerlifter and triathlete,
Rachel Cosgrove.

Click here to read part I of Rachel Cosgrove’s profile.

Question: It seems that the nutrition approach for power lifting and endurance sports would also be contrary to one another. How do you reconcile those different eating regimens?

Cosgrove: Actually, they’re not really that different. For both sports you need to fuel your body with healthy foods throughout the day. I would also recommend a post workout shake for both. Triathlon is much more dependent on your nutrition during the race while powerlifting does not even tap in to your blood sugar. I try to eat healthy 90 percent of the time and when I am cycling or running I may use a sports drink or Gu’s during my workout and then finish with a recovery shake. When I am doing a deadlift workout I will have a shake when I finish my workout. The nutrition principles are not too different at all. For powerlifting you want to be the lightest you can be and still be the strongest you can be and guess what? For triathlon, you also want to be the lightest you can be and still be the strongest you can be. So, both sports benefit from keeping your body fat at a lower level while your strength is up. You don’t have to be “big and bulky” to be a powerlifter.

Question: Since The Outdoor Journey mostly covers short course events (lasting less than four hours), we typically look for ways to increase speed during these races. Some say that speed work has little relevance and power development through weight training has even less relevance to improving one’s times. The rationale is that to get faster on the swim, bike or run, you must do more swimming, biking, and running. How do you respond to that?

Cosgrove: Why are men faster than women? It never fails at every race, the men come in before the women. What one thing do they have more of? They have more strength, more muscle and more power. If the only difference is strength than adding strength does help increase speed. If every step you took your muscles were able to produce more power because you have been training them to in the gym doing squats or lunges, you would be faster. Now, I am not talking about bodybuilding strength training. I am talking about functional programs that will transfer directly over to running, biking, and swimming.

Also when you think about it, running or biking is doing a resistance training exercise over and over again. Running is a one leg plyometric jump. On your bike you are pushing and pulling over and over again. How can you say that you can’t come up with an exercise that would benefit those movements and get you stronger at those movements when they are such simple movements done in the gym? I am not saying you can or should try to replicate running or biking in the gym but the action can be improved by increased strength in these simple movements. You still need to run, bike and swim.

Question: Some enlightened coaches who do advocate weight training espouse light weights and high reps, while a rare few espouse the benefits of the heavy, explosive-style movements found in Olympic lifting. Where does your coaching philosophy fall?

Cosgrove: There is a place for all types of training depending on where the athlete is weak and what they need to work on but for endurance athletes who are generally already good at higher rep endurance work and need to work on more power I would tend to use lower rep, heavy explosive movements and leave the higher reps for their endurance training. You can’t replicate running, biking or swimming in the gym so that is not the goal. Endurance athletes still need to go out and do their endurance training. The goal in the gym is to get strong, explosive, and powerful.

Question: Let’s back up six weeks from one of your races. What is the frequency of your weight training leading up to a race?

Cosgrove:Right now I am about two weeks out from the Olympic distance world championships and I am lifting weights twice a week. I will lift twice a week right up to the event.

Rachel at the Pacific Grove triathlon

Question: What are some of the biggest mistakes you see newbie triathletes make?

Cosgrove: Not having a plan and doing too much. Most endurance athletes think doing more is better so they keep adding on more and more volume and never sit down and plan out how they will peak for their race. Most of them could use more recovery and more of a plan.

Question: If a short-course athlete could do one thing to improve his or her race-day performance, what would you suggest for the swim, bike and run?

Cosgrove: This is tough to generalize. Every athlete is different. Most endurance athletes could definitely benefit from adding in strength training to increase their power. You can also use strength training to increase lactate threshold and build up a tolerance to lactic acid. This would help them to surge when they need to surge ahead which is extremely important in a sprint distance race since most of the race is spent at their lactate threshold.

Question: I noticed that you promote your services specifically to women. Do you work with male triathletes?

Cosgrove: Yes, I do work with males as well and have had a few male clients. Also when I coach for Team in Training, it is coed. Either way, I love helping a client accomplish their goal whether it be to complete their first triathlon or qualify for Kona. Tell me your goal and I’ll do everything I can to get you there. As a coach there is nothing better than seeing your athlete cross the finish line for the first time or qualify for Kona or win their age group. Whether they are male or female, seeing them accomplish more than they ever thought possible is why I do what I do and love what I do!

Your can learn more about Rachel Cosgrove at www.rachelcosgrove.com and also at www.inspirefemalefitness.com.She has just released a new book “So You Want To Train For a Triathlon” which is available in her online store. I’ll be sharing my review of the book this Friday.

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Rachel Cosgrove puts the multi in multisport.

Question: What is your athletic background and how did you first get into triathlons?
Cosgrove: I have always been active. I started going to the gym with my dad and learning about weight training and cardio when I was about 12 and then I was a cheerleader in high school. I went to college and studied physiology with a minor in exercise and health sciences. Throughout college I was on the dance team and lifted weights and did cardio, but I did not get into triathlon until much later, which is unfortunate because I went to school in Santa Barbara, California where it is a great place for triathletes to train. Looking back, I can’t believe I didn’t get into it sooner while I was living in there.

I started doing triathlons about eight years later after being married for six years when my husband, Alwyn (click to read Alwyn’s great piece “Why endurance athletes lack staying power”) was diagnosed with Lymphoma. That same week he was diagnosed, a flyer came in the mail for an organization that trains people to complete their first triathlon while they raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society called Team in Training. I had always been active but had never thought about doing a triathlon but this seemed like a great way to fight these diseases while my husband was fighting. When he was diagnosed I felt completely helpless, there was nothing really I could do to make it better. At least if I trained for and raised money for the cause I would feel like I was actively doing something to fight these diseases while he was fighting. Little did I know I would get hooked on the sport of triathlon.

Question: How is Alwyn doing now?

Cosgrove: He is in complete remission and doing great! He kept a very positive attitude right through everything and never gave up and fought the entire time. He definitely inspires me and after watching what he had to go through nothing seems hard. Training for an Ironman is a piece of cake compared to a stem cell transplant. He is coming up on two years this summer in complete remission.

Question: What role, if any, does strength training play in your triathlon training?

Cosgrove: Since I started triathlon with a strength training background I went into the sport a lot stronger than most triathletes. I was not about to give up my weight training of which I am a big believer in the benefits for triathletes. The benefits I experienced because of my strength initially were:

1. Climbing hills on my bike came super easy to me. Anytime we would hit a hill I would fly up it using the strength in my legs. I could also surge ahead when I needed to.
2. No injuries. Of all my triathlete friends I would say I get the least injuries. They are all constantly complaining of a sore knee or hip or ankle but I believe since my joints are all surrounded by muscle and are strong that I have not had problems with injuries. I also am able to undo some of the imbalances the sport creates with my programs.
3. My abs look better than most triathlete’s!. Yes, adding some core/strength training into your schedule will give you better pictures at your races. I believe weight training can be used to burn fat better than triathlon training since your body adapts so quickly to triathlon training. So, if you want a six pack when you cross the finish line, weight training is the key.

Question: When you mentioned imbalances, what are some of the most frequent imbalances that you see with triathletes?

Cosgrove: Most triathletes are very quad dominant and have tight hip flexors. They need to focus on switching on their posterior chain to use more of their glutes and hamstrings and stretch their hip flexors. Also from swimming the rotator cuff tends to be a common place for injuries. Performing exercises that strengthen the back and stretch the shoulders and chest are helpful.

Rachel trains for strength in preparation for her
record-setting deadlift AND triathlon.

Question: You have what I would consider a true multisport background. Most people who call themselves multisport athletes are really just endurance athletes using different forms of locomotion. However, you race competitively in triathlons and just set a powerlifting record in the deadlift. How do you balance those very different training systems in your life?

Cosgrove: I always like to have a goal when it comes to my training. I am very goal oriented. Strength training and sports such as powerlifting are actually more natural for me than triathlon. I have to work much harder at training for a triathlon. In my triathlon strength training program I had deadlifts. Deadlifts are an excellent exercise to strengthen the posterior chain, plus holding the bar is recruiting the muscles in your rotator cuff and of course your core is working. so a deadlift is an awesome full body exercise to use when training for a triathlon. Especially because most triathletes are very quad dominant.

I naturally am pretty strong and have been lifting for a lot longer than I have been doing triathlons. One of the trainers who works for me is a powerlifter and he said I was doing enough weight that if I worked on it, I would be competitive at a powerlifting competition. I tend to be competitive and once I heard that there was a powerlifting competition in the area I decided I would continue working on increasing my deadlift while I was training for a triathlon. So, that’s what I did.

When I showed up at the powerlifting competition I had no idea what to expect but I had a great time and ended up winning and setting an American record with a deadlift of 297 lbs. I pride myself on being able to set a goal and accomplish it rather than be a single sport athlete. I enjoy competing and bringing out the best in myself whether that be through powerlifting, triathlon, 5K’s or figure competitions. This is also what I love to do with the clients I work with. I always like to challenge myself. Currently I have my sights set on the Triathlon World Championships in June and I will continue to have some form of deadlift in my program but I won’t be pushing it to the levels I did at the powerlifting competition. Most triathletes don’t spend enough time getting stronger. I probably spend too much time because it comes easier to me.

Question: You mentioned deadlifts, which is considered by many to be THE exercise of exercises. How would you recommend triathletes incorporate deadlifts into their training program? High reps? Low reps?

Cosgrove: Most triathletes have endurance but need strength so I would say error on the side of lower reps. It is hard to give a general recommendation but I would definitely say when a triathlete is in the weight room their goal is strength without building a lot of bulk. Hypertrophy happens in the 8-to-12 rep range so I would say they should stay under this in the 4-to-6 rep range to increase their strength without increasing their size.

Question: How big a role does nutrition play in your training?

Cosgrove: I think nutrition is a huge part of anyone’s training. Get the basics down first which includes eating every few hours, only eating fruits, veggies, protein and whole grains and drinking enough water. Once you are eating healthy every day, then we can talk about performance nutrition such as using a recovery shake which I would say is the most important part of performance nutrition. Having a shake during and post workout will improve your recovery and enable you to train harder next time. Everybody is different when it comes to nutrition so this is something you have to practice. I have a saying: “Nothing New on Race Day!” You should not try out a new drink or a new supplement on race day. Practice. Practice. Practice. Especially for half Ironman and Ironman distances, your nutrition can make or break your race.

Stay tuned for part II tomorrow…

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Tomorrow we get to meet a remarkable woman. One who embodies what I consider to be the true multisport lifestyle: endurance, power, and a great set of abs.

Watch the video above as Rachel Cosgrove sets a new California and U.S.A. Powerlifting record in her division in the women’s deadlift. (Note: the video is a bit distorted for some reason.)

Dig this…she’s also competing in the World Triathlon Championships in two weeks.

Starting Tuesday, I’ll share a two-part interview (read Part I and Part II) with Rachel to learn her secrets for power and endurance and on Friday, I’ll review her new book on triathlon training. Should be an educational week ahead folks, so stay tuned!

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Photo by Filip Kwiatkowski for The New York Times

The May 8 edition of the New York Times posed a rather interesting question: Can you simultaneously peak for three different sports, i.e., swimming, cycling and running?

While some may argue the merits of the answer (which is “no” by the way in case you haven’t guessed), I think the energy should be directed toward how we define “peak.” After all, unless you’re gunning for the podium, your peak can only be compared to your previous performances. Not another athlete’s.

Like many, author Gina Kolata presumes that peak performance is set up as “you vs. The Gold Standard.” You are competing against your genetic potential in each sport separately. If you can hold a 6-min. 5K during a local road race, then you should be able to do the same in a sprint triathlon…after an hour “warm-up” swimming and biking.

I would suggest that triathlon, or any multisport event, is an event upon itself. Treat it as a whole, not as a collection of sports thrown together willy-nilly. Your peak would then be defined relative to triathlon, not running or swimming or cycling.

Just my humble two cents.

Anyway, you can read the article by clicking here.

P.S. A special thanks for Curly Su for bringing this to my attention.

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Question: I started reading your blog and noticed that you’ve been doing quite a bit of traveling. I’m considering flying to a race later this summer and was wondering what hard-earned travel tips you could share. - Cyler

Fedofsky: Bring your checkbook! Yes, it has become more expensive than ever to travel to a race. I’ve learned a few tips and tricks along the way to same money, time and hassle when you plan to go away.

Before you start packing - check with your airline to see their policy on bikes. It helps to print out the policy in case there are any misunderstandings at the check-in counter. Keep in mind that you will have to pay for your bicycle both ways. A credit card is a must when traveling with your bike. Airlines charge different rates for traveling with a bicycle - anywhere from $50 to $100. With new luggage policies in effect you might even be charged with extra baggage fines too. Know the policy and like I said - bring it along, just in case.

Before packing your bike, be sure they don’t have a weight limit. Some airlines charge extra if your bike box is over 50 pounds. Some will also want to check inside of your bike box so pack your bike parts carefully.

As far as the arrival of your bike - there is always a possibility that while you may arrive your bike may not. When traveling to a race, it’s best to have at least two full days before the race start to allow a cushion for problems like this. Make sure your name is clearly written on your bike box or tag. Also, it helps to have a picture of your bike box - and bike - just in case.

With luggage, when possible carry it on the plane. Luggage has a nasty way of not arriving when you need it most. Items that would be very hard to replace (ie., bike shoes, race clothes, etc) should be carried on just in case.

I’ve had my fair share of gels, bars and sports drink powder explode in my suitcase - a lesson learned - always pack those things in Tupperware. Those little backpacks you get as race bags? Use them to store your race flats or cycling shoes in your suitcase.

Safe travels!

Question: I’m starting my second season as a short-course triathlete and have learned the following about myself: I’m a decent swimmer, a crappy biker and a super-crappy runner. Should I focus on my strength this season to give me a bigger edge in the water? Or, should I try and get on the bike more since that comprises most of the race? I’m confused! - Amanda B.

Fedofsky: Though the swim in short course is important, even a two minute edge will not be enough to overcome the power of the stronger cyclists and the speed of the faster runners. The cycling leg of a triathlon makes up the most time. Therefore, it makes sense to spend your most time training to become an efficient cyclist. Efficiency in cycling leads to better running. While running is also important, overtraining the run can lead to injury and still won’t do much for your cycling. Imagine if you trained so you can take that swim edge, build a stronger lead with a powerful bike then hold anyone off with a speedy run. Putting it all together you can see that the swim will set you up for a fast race but once you exit the water it’s still a long way to the finish line. That said, it might help to work on your cycling, 3 - 4x per week for short course and running, 3 - 4x per week with one of those being a bike - run brick workout.

If you have triathlon-related questions for Liz, or just want to know more about the ways she drives her husband nuts, fire ‘em off to us at questions@theoutdoorjourney.com. You can read more about Liz’s adventures on her blog at http://elizabethfedofsky.blogspot.com/

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Sunrise over Lake Mead as I make my way toward the 2008 Rage in the Sage.

Note: I’ve gone back through to update my times and add a couple of race pics.

My recent success at stepping on the podium didn’t carry over this past Saturday. Partly because, unlike the Splash ‘n Dash, there was actually more than one competitor. And, my training leading up to this race may have set a PR in non-existence. I may have swam close to 2,000 meters since last October, although I think that’s being optimistic.

The Rage in the Sage, held at Lake Mead, is typically one of the best organized and classiest races I’ve done over the past two seasons. BBSC Endurance does a fine job of putting the event together. Yet for all of their great accomplishments, for some inexplicable reason, they didn’t use timing chips this year. They dropped back a decade and had an elderly woman holding some sort of timing device in her hand, calling out race numbers as people went through T1 and T2. Hence, no official results yet.

Anyway, I’ll keep this brief since I have no idea of how I fared except that I know I’m not last in my age group. Maybe second-to-last, but not last. Then again, that’s what is to be expected with 3.9 hours of CV training in the past month.

Exiting the longest swim of my life. Note to self: Get ass in the
pool more than four times before a race.

SWIM (750 m)
All sprint competitors, male and female, did a mass start. As I’ve written here in the past, swimming is my best event of the three and I typically have no qualms about swimming in the blender…until now.

I parked right in the middle of the pack, about four or five rows back from the lead swimmers. The water was 57 degrees, just perfect for my QR Farmer John-style wetsuit (circa 1993). Even though it was designed for a 155-pound me of yesteryear, the 178-pound me of today was able to squeeze in thanks to the help of a few strong triathletes who helped shove my fat ass in the suit. A few piddles later, I was warm and toasty for the swim.

Once the horn signaled the start of the race, I got mauled. I got kicked, clawed, and kept running into people for the next 500 meters. Rather than go with my usual 3-1 breathing ratio, I was sucking in air with every stroke and my wetsuit, of course, felt like it was choking me.

Before I go any farther, I want to apologize for any cockiness I may have displayed here, or in various forums, about my open water swimming skills. While I’ve never claimed to be fast, I have thumped my chest about my efficiency in the water and my lack of fear in open water swims. That was all shoved back in my face on this day.

Although I swam a relaxed 750 meters in the pool in 15-minutes a week before the race, I I barely survived this swim. I side-stroked, breast-stroked, even floated on my back a few times to try and catch my breath and get into a rhythm. I finally got clear and found an outside line after the last turn and was able to make up some time during the last 200 meters.

Time: 27:22.9 (best was in ‘06 at 19:00.0)
AG Winner: 18:01.5

T1
This is why I don’t like to wear wetsuits. Whatever time advantage I get from using them in the water, I lose in T1. For the life of me, I could not get the God-damned suit off of my feet. Even though I had liberally used BodyGlide, the suit was glued to me. I must have spent nearly two minutes trying to get free of that cursed monster.

I had been practicing a bike mount where I run with my shoes on, with my bike on my right. Once I cross the mount line, I would clip my left foot on the left pedal, push off and swing my right leg over, clip in, and ride off to glory.

No go on race day. During practice, I kept getting hung up on the first clip-in. The pedal would keep spinning around when I tried to step on it with my Speedplays. Doh!

So, I used my standard bike straddle and push-off. Not cool looking, but it works.

No T1 times provided.

Exiting the short climb out of T1.

BIKE (20 K)
For once, I may have had a decent time on the bike. Perhaps even a PR. Now, I still got passed left and right, but I may have done quite well relative to my past performances on this course.

Using my Garmin Forerunner 305, I tracked my HR and distance to the first turnaround. At that point, I had a Raspberry Hammer Gel (best tasting hands down) that was pre-mixed in a hydration bottle mounted to my bike stem. This is the way to deal with gels on the bike. Much better than trying to screw around and tear a packet with my teeth and squirting overpriced liquid candy on my top tube.

I was passed by one dude in my age group (see run commentary below for redemption), but I was able to pass a couple of folks near the big-ass hill at the second turn-around. I noticed quite a few people were just grinding big gears with an approximate cadence between 50-60. I kept to my plan of keeping my HR capped at 180 and a cadence of 85-95 and hoped that restraint would pay off on the run.

Time: 53:35.0 (PR by 8:20!)
AG Winner: 39:56.0

T2
Now, bike dismounts, I’ve been practicing those as well. As we rocketed down the hill and were about a quarter-mile from the line, I took my feet out of the shoes and pedaled away. About 50 feet from the line, I swung my right leg behind me (I was amazed to later see people swing their right legs in front of them over the top tube…will have to try that) and did a running dismount while simultaneously ejecting my left shoe from the pedal.

Behind me, I hear people yelling “Shoe! Shoe! He lost his shoe!”

A bike mechanic who looked like Doc Brown with the crazy hair from “Back to the Future,” was managing the dismount line and started yelling at me. “Run! Run!”

I’m thinking, “Dude, that’s a $75 piece of leather and plastic back there. I’m not leaving here without it.”

He grabbed the shoe and was frantically gesturing for me to move while continuing his mantra “Run! Run!”

I ran and he caught up to me and shoved the shoe in my jersey pocket.

Very cool.

Another first, I decided to go without socks for this race so T2 went by fairly quickly.

No T2 times provided.

I’m heading home while some of the half-course athletes (in the red dot) are
still grinding up hills as part of their 56-mile cycling adventure.

RUN (5 K)
My goal was to start out at a 10-min/mile (easily done during practice) and drop it by a minute each mile, ending up with an 8-min/mile for the last mile of the run.

As usual for me, no matter what piece of self-monitoring hardware I have, I had a hell of a time trying to get the Garmin switched over to run mode. After a few starts, stops, resets, anything…I finally got the unit switched over to run mode. (Note: Once I downloaded the data upon my return to Hak Manor, the Forerunner showed I had run 2,300 miles instead of three. WTF?)

On the first little hill where I’ve walked in the past, I ran.

I saw the age group dude who passed me on the bike, and gradually reeled him in. Bye-bye.

I was actually passing some people on the run. A miracle!

I tried to crack the 10-minute pace and couldn’t. I wasn’t exhausted, but the legs just didn’t want to go.

The last mile or so, a young man by the name of Cameron from St. George caught up to me and said I looked like I had some more “go” in me. He paced me to the finish line and held me to a sub-10 pace. He was a Godsend. I was holding a steady 199 HR and didn’t want to push the pace any faster for fear of blowing up too early and doing my traditional lame-ass shuffle. I can hold 199 for about a quarter mile, but not a full mile.

As we saw the finish line, we picked a landmark about 100 meters out and agreed to give it our all from that point forward. Once we crossed that spot, we turned on the afterburners (mine was more like a bottle rocket fizz at that point) and went for it.

Unfortunately, two young kids darted out from the spectators to run with their mom who was in front of us. They blocked most of the chute. Cameron, who must have done the math as I did, figured out we’d be passing her about 10 feet from the finish line. Poor form, ol’ chap. Poor form.

So, we slowed to a jog, and let her and the kids have their moment of glory across the finish line. I have not issues with being polite, unless I find out that I was moved back in the rankings by five seconds. Then, I’ll make sure to carry a crowbar with me at the next race.

Time: 34:44.1 (much to my surprise, my I had 33:22 in 2006 [2007 was a duathlon due to weather])
AG Winner: 22:49.7

Conclusion
Overall time: 1:55:42.1
AG Winner: 1:20:47.3
Overall Male Winner: 1:10:49.7

Overall, I got what I deserved for this one, but came away with the following lessons:

• Even though my CV was non-existent, I was shifting my focus from aerobic-building to anerobic-building work. My two sessions of track work were paying off on the run.
• Going without socks is the way to go. The bike was fine and I only ended up with one blister on my Achille’s tendon. Using the right shoes makes all of the difference. And, making sure they’re snugged up tight.
• I still need to drop about 15-20 pounds of flubber. I appreciated this during the run imagining how much harder it would be if I were to strap on a 20-lb weight vest.
• I need to get my ass in my wetsuit and get some open water swims in this summer. The pool is great for conditioning, but that’s it. Open water swimming with a wetsuit is another beast…and I keep forgetting that.
• I was not nervous at all. No pre-race jitters. No repeated visits to the bathroom. However, once I got in the water, I was looking for any excuse to quit and turn around. If a kayak had been near me, I would have bailed from the race. Honest. Fortunately, one was not there and my Inner Quitter finally decided to give it up and go home the last 200 meters of the swim.
• All HRMs suck when it comes to triathlons. Trying to switch modes between bike and run is a nightmare on game day. Luckily, I didn’t even have to deal with switching between swim and bike because hardly anyone trusts the Garmin to not leak. Sure, it’s OK to 3 meters, but who wants to trust that figure on your $300 piece of hardware? Not me.

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Question: I’m entering my first Olympic race in May and was curious as to what you recommend as far as hydration and nutrition. I obviously can’t suck down gels during the swim, but was wondering how she suggested I approach my nutrition strategy before the race, during the bike and the run. I may be over-thinking this. - Marc

Fedofsky: For races lasting longer than 90 minutes, you will need to find a nutrition and hydration plan that works for you. With that said, the best way to find what works is to practice over and over again until your plan feels like clockwork. When determining your nutrition plan, be sure to consider the amount of calories, carbohydrates and sodium you will need.

I’m not a dietitician but from my experience products formulated for consumption during sports work best. Gels, bars, sports drinks, beans - these are all products meant to be consumed and digested during sport activity.

As for the interval at which you eat, that is entirely individual and based on your needs. While I cannot offer any suggestions for exact numbers, I will say it might be best to start eating soon after you get on the bike and follow up every 30 - 45 minutes from there. A simple sweat test in race-like conditions will help you determine your fluid needs.

Question: I have a hard time eating before a race. My stomach’s just not used to any food that early in the morning. Consequently, I don’t eat before group rides and end up bonking about 1.5 hours into them. Oatmeal sticks to my gut and sometimes energy bars work. Any suggestions for a good, fueled up, yet light on the stomach, pre-race meal? - Thalia D.

Fedofsky: Again, you’ve got to eat something for anything laster longer than 90 minutes. You cannot finish a workout or race on willpower alone - your body needs fluids and calories.

There are mixed feelings out there about eating before a race. Some will tell you to find something, anything that works. Others will say just eat a good dinner the night before. The fact is that breakfast is literally that - breaking the fast. You need to jump start your body and replenish stores that were depleted when sleeping (and yes, your body is still working and burning calories when sleeping).

Ultimately you will need to practice over and over again until you find something that “sort of” works. I say “sort of” because I don’t think any breakfast or sports food goes down smooth 100 percent of the time. It’s totally normal to feel something in your stomach, to feel occasionally sloshy or burpy. It’s food and you’re working on top of it - a little mix up is bound to happen.

With that said, I feel that the best time to practice what might work for you is before a swim. I feel if you can swim on it you can probably race on it. Use each swim or masters practice as an opportunity to practice different food options or timing of food. In time you’ll have a list of foods that do and don’t work for your stomach (note: I have found that chocolate chips, brownie batter and ice cream do not work before a swim).

Ideas include; toast with honey, bagel with a little peanut butter, applesauce with whey protein, sports bar, oatmeal with raisins, banana. As far as how much and the composition of what you need to eat - ideally, aim for something that has carbohydrates and a little protein. Most people cannot tolerate heavy proteins, fats, or dairy. But again, this is entirely individual and will take many, many practices, guesses, and tweaks before you find what’s right for you.

If you have triathlon-related questions for Liz, or just want to know more about the ways she drives her husband nuts, fire ‘em off to us at questions@theoutdoorjourney.com. You can read more about Liz’s adventures on her blog at http://elizabethfedofsky.blogspot.com/

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