Being Related to a Coach is Amazing!

 

Hey y'all! Sorry about the lack of posts, I've been busy what with the holidays and all! So today was a training cram! Besides being an Ironman triathlete, my father-in law is also a USAT certified level 1 coach. So this morning, we went to the local rec center while my wife and I stay over for a couple days as part of our Christmas split plan! And I learned quite a bit to correct my stroke. I also went and ran a half-marathon earlier but that's just icing on the cake. So here's what I was doing wrong to help those like me! 

1. I was lifting my shoulders and head to breathe. 

This is a big no-no. Your head should sit in the bow wave created by your swim cap, effectively helping you split the water. You should barely roll your neck to the side to breathe and one goggle should never leave the water. It's a weird feeling but it worked wonders on helping me need less rests. 

2. I cross when I kick. 

I never realized I was doing this but when I perform my flutter kick I cross sides every few beats when I roll to breathe. Which tangles my legs and makes the kick virtually useless. The best drill my father-in law knows is a pull buoy drill in which the buoy is held between the thighs and the kick is kept small. This forces your body to hold your legs apart. And it works wonders. 

3. I spread my legs to breathe. 

Another major no-no but one that most people do naturally. Your body tries to splay your legs during breaths to keep floating and make breathing more comfortable; however, this works like a drag chute and slows your entire stroke down, forcing you to expend more energy to get back up to speed. Only to slow down again ad finitum. The pull buoy drill is the fix. 

4. I need to do more drills. 

Most new triathletes are guilty of this sin against Masters's Swim classes. We don't like drills. The mentality of the new triathlete is focused almost entirely on distance, endurance, and speed. And that's why until they find a coach, most new triathletes are bad habit swimmers. Drills are the cornerstone of swim workouts. Drills train specific motions of the body to become muscle-memory. And when your in a mass start ocean swim and you've sucked down a lungful of salt-water, your body looks to muscle memory to know what to do. So drills are brutally important. 

So after that awesome experience, I'm just looking forward to the next time I hit the pool to keep perfecting the little errors that most of us have in our strokes! Also, if you haven't taken my advice yet, go out and buy a pair of Swiftwick high-digit socks. My personal favorites are Aspire Twelves, but mine are working wonders right now on my calves after the half-marathon! Happy training!

Need for Speed

Hey y'all it's been awhile! So a quick check-in, yesterday was my first brick workout since I've officially started Ironman training! We're still building base mileage, so it was a 1 hour trainer ride followed by a 1 hour run. It actually went really well, I PR'ed over the first 5k and had my average pace a full 30 seconds faster than I intend to run the Ironman! So we're doing good so far! I'm currently building my race schedule for 2014 (including the possible insanity of attempting the Leadville 100 or at least the 50-miler) and the honey and I have been Christmas shopping like crazy! 

Thanks to the generosity of the wife, I have been using my trainer most of the month since a massive cold front hit Colorado and I've been discovering the goods and bads about indoor training. I do virtually all of my rides on the trainer currently and since it effectively doubles as a bike stand, I've been doing some tune-ups and adjustments to my bike and riding position. Since I've been spending so much time doing this, I've been trying to find some ways to raise my average speed for the Ironman! So without further ado, here's 5 ways you can raise your average speed this off-season! 

1. Lighten your bike.

As someone who rides a 30 lbs. bike, I should know, it's hard to push that much weight at higher speeds. So one of the easiest ways to gain speed is to lose the excess weight which is often stored in unthinkable areas such as tires or even your seat post! 

2. Lighten your arse

Losing a few kilos is much less expensive than lightening your bike and it's one of the more efficient ways to make yourself faster. One of the biggest differences between a Tour De France rider and you is your strength to weight ratio. Increase that by decreasing your excess body fat and you'll get much better both on hills and the flat lands! 

3. Aerobic fitness, aerobic fitness, aerobic fitness! 

Contrary to what you probably think, raising your lactate threshold and anaerobic strength is only half the equation and it really only helps for hard efforts on hills and sprints. You need a huge amount of aerobic fitness to keep up with the pros speeds. So doing a lot of miles in the aerobic zone will give you a much deeper strength well to draw on when the going gets tough. 

4. Figure out your nutrition

You need to figure out your nutrition plan if you want to sustain higher speeds. If you do great for the first three hours but start to have issues after that, you probably are botching your fueling! Figure out something that works for you and stick with it to blow by your weekly club rides!

5. Train hard, Rest harder

You spend all day, 7 days a week training and you wonder why you aren't getting anywhere. Your body needs time to rest and adapt to your workload, otherwise you won't succeed in your regimen. Try to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep every night (the pros sleep 10+ hours a day) and take rest days during which you do no activity. But also mix in rest days during which you put in miles in your recovery zone. Called active recovery, this helps to flush the lactic acid out of your muscles and promotes healing. 

Getting faster takes time but anyone can do it! The true trick is training smarter, not training harder!

It's About the Heart

Hey y'all! So my wife took this picture when I wasn't looking during my long ride on the trainer the other day! (We just had a major cold front move in and it's pretty much miserable to ride outside right now, not to mention dangerous.) She thought it was cute that I was reading while cycling (hey you've got to get through a two-hour aerobic ride somehow!) but this post is actually about the book I was reading.

It's called It's Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong.

Now Lance has taken a ton of heat in the past year for admitting to using performance enhancing drugs (granted, so was every other athlete, they just didn't get caught) but that doesn't change the fact that he is still a phenomenal cyclist and a great triathlete! So, always being a huge fan of Lance's training, I picked up this book at my local library. You might expect the book to primarily be about training (for that see his other book, The Lance Armstrong Performance Program.)
But it's not. It's primarily about his battle with cancer.

 

Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 25. The book chronicles his life from his childhood bike racing to his early professional career, but especially focuses on his battle with cancer and the aftermath. Armstrong underwent chemotherapy, brain surgery, and aggressive treatments, and still survived to win the Tour De France 7 times in a row.

Nobody realizes exactly how hard that was. Armstrong reveals in his book how he came close to being administered a chemotherapy medication that would have destroyed his lungs and made his comeback impossible. He got a different drug at the last minute but still talks about struggling to bike down the block due to a low hematocrit count after the chemo. He talks about the grueling training that brought him back from the brink and his struggles with sponsors who failed to believe in him.

It's an absolutely inspiring read. Besides the cancer and struggle bits, Armstrong also talks race strategy and shows his mindset during his first Tour win. The book is full of team member banter and race reviews, enough to keep people who don't care so much about the inspirational parts interested.

I liked to read it while on the trainer just because it felt right. But that's just me. I started reading and two hours later finished both the book and my ride. And I've got two sore spots on my sit bones to prove it. (I had to sit straight back on my saddle to read it) Check it out and see what inspiration does for you!

Triathlete Mag Deal Frenzy

So just a quick recommendation! While getting ready to do an hour-log training run at the in-laws this weekend on the treadmill, I realized I needed some reading material for the workout! So since I was at REI anyway, I picked up the latest copy of Triathlete magazine!

This issue is jam packed with excellent material, my personal favorite being the play by play breakdowns of the Ironman Kona 2013 race! Along with some excellent holiday guides and training ideas and the always excellent product reviews, this issue also comes with an exclusive and rather amazing deal!

Give the gift of Triathlete magazine to your favorite triathlete for $35, and receive a 10 oz. Fuelbelt Palm Holder for free! It's a great deal if you know someone who likes the magazine, but it also comes with a deal for single buyers, get 12 issues of Triathlete for $30. I'll be dropping my card in the mail soon!

You Gotta Log Life

So up until this point, I've been using Beginner Triathlete for my training log and evaluation. And it was bearable. When I originally started, I loved their layout and format and I was blissfully happy as I struggled to run 5k and bike 10 miles! (Nobody ever misses those days!) In May, they retooled their layout and I hated it. But the log itself worked the same and so I continued to use it, I just had to push past the dislike of the decor. However, a few days ago, I attempted to add a run I did on the treadmill to the log 3 DIFFERENT TIMES AT 3 DIFFERENT TIMES! And it never worked! So therefore, I went questing for a new training log.

I found the perfect one on Ironman's website! Training Peaks is the officially endorsed training log of Ironman triathlons. And it is amazing!

First off, it's completely free to sign up for, so at least give it a try! I've been using it for 3 days and I'm already addicted. Before Training Peaks, I'd had to use DailyBurn calorie tracker to track my nutrition and the default Android app for Beginner Triathlete barely worked well enough to show me past workouts. No longer.

Training Peaks is the most effective software I've used and I'm never going back! It has more built-in functionality then any age-grouper will ever need (especially flat-broke starting ironmen!) It's true that if you want full functionality then you'll have to subscribe to unlock Premium content, but I have yet to seen a reason I'd have need too.

My favorite things about it? I can track my calories, which then show up in the calender view alongside my workouts. It auto-calculates the calories I've burned based on my profile and compares that to the calories I've taken in, making it easy to determine weight maintenance. It supports integration and downloads from dozens of HRM, power monitors, and cyclometers and has the ability to export your logs so that you don't lose your data!

Then it gets better.

The Dashboard function shows off my workouts, macro-nutrients, and pacing all in a series of graphs and charts that make it easy to determine overall fitness. You do have to subscribe to add more charts to your Dashboard but I have yet to find a need to do so.

The biggest bummer?

You have to subscribe to log future workouts. Which costs around $20 per month. That's a little steep but since it's designed for professional triathletes, it can be worth it if you have need of the added functionality. But for now, I'm perfectly content with a free account.

Need a log and don't want to use pen and paper? Go ahead and sign up for Training Peaks. You won't regret it. 

 http://home.trainingpeaks.com/

A Beautiful Morning Run

Went up to the in-laws for a late Thanksgiving since I was on duty. 7 miles never looked so good and in beautiful 50 degree weather too!

The Most Thankful Training Tool

Hey y'all it's been awhile! So Thanksgiving just passed (All triathletes get on your knees and pray to the anti-weight gain gods) and I got to thinking about things that I'm thankful for. And I came up with one thing that has been one of my most useful training tools ever since I started triathlon!

My Timex Ironman watch.

It was a birthday gift from my wife right after we got engaged and I fell in love with it! A lot of people have tried Ironman watches with varying results (the father-in-law prefers Garmin for its GPS) but I have always loved my entry-level $40 Target watch.

Ironman watches have a lot going for them. For one thing, if you grab one with a water-resistance of 100-meters, they're virtually water-proof. I can vouch, I take mine in the pool every time I swim to time my splits. Which is probably the watches most amazing function. (Quick tip here: Don't submerge the Ironman watch while you press the buttons; most people who encounter watch failures do so because of ignoring this. The watch doesn't have internal gaskets to protect the components from water penetration so make sure your wrist is out of the water before you go mashing buttons!)

Mine is an excellent Blue-Orange coloring that matches my race kit and looks fairly stylish too! So here's everything you need to know in quick-bullet format about the watch, Good and Bad.

1. If you don't press the buttons underwater, it's virtually water-proof. I've taken mine in the pool countless times and timed countless splits in an effort to improve my abilities and it's never failed me. Ever. Never fogged, never sputtered. As a firefighter, I rely on my watch to time pulses and let me know how long I've been in, and this thing has survived extreme temperatures and had thousands of gallons of tank water dumped on it and it's still kicking. I've gotten grease and oil all over it, buttons still function even when a tad grimy. I've dropped it from ridiculous heights. I have yet to break it. Which is a miracle.

2. The screen has decent scratch-resistance. For all I've put it through, I've never scratched the display. Also phenomenal as my last watch scratched on it's first trial run (a generic Wal-Mart brand.)

3. The biggest complaint you hear is that the strap breaks down from chlorine. Knowing this, I rinse my watch after every swim to get off any excess chlorine and I've never had a problem with the strap. It still looks new with no issues.

4. The next thing you hear is that the battery craps out as soon as you buy it. I've had mine almost a year and the battery is just as good as the day I bought it. Maybe I'm a lucky one, but I have a hard time believing that a company like Timex would make a watch that died so quickly after purchase.

5. The watch does have Indiglo (essential for night-runs) and the stopwatch, splits, and recall functions work great. In races like Ironman, where the course is usually lapped, you can time each lap and bring the data back up later for logging and evaluation.

6. The only downside I can personally say is the expense. $40 is a bit steep for a watch, especially for a blog about triathlon budgets, but you pay for what you get. It's more like an investment than a purchase.

If you can't tell, I love my Timex Ironman. Personally, I use it as a backup for my Strava data for those rare occasions when Strava malfunctions and I lose my times for a run or ride. I've never had any problems with it in any condition and I highly recommend it for anyone needing rugged performance out of their equipment without loss of functionality.

Food for Thought

 

So when I started training for the Ironman, I completely retooled my diet and nutrition. I figured it was pretty much essential, without proper carb and protein consumption I wouldn't have any energy and I'd injure myself. So I retooled my diet, lowered my fat intake, upped my carbs, and maxed out my protein. And I've never felt better. I also lowered my caffeine content (I was drinking around 5 Diet Mtn. Dews a day) and I've had way more energy. But here's a few things I've learned about triathlon nutrition throughout my training.

Mistakes:

1. Inadequate fueling during training. 

I'm pretty bad about this. There's been quite a few times (like last time I went to the gym for the treadmills) that I've forgotten either my weak Gatorade mix or forgotten to eat or drink while running or on the bike. These always kill me in the end, I'll bonk after riding through some hard hills or windy conditions and it sounds pathetic, but I run my best 10k while consuming approximately 16 oz. of 50/50 Gatorade and water. Training nutrition is essential, you don't want to drain your muscle glycogen, it takes far too long to replenish to make it worthwhile in training. 

2. No post-workout meal

I was especially bad at this in college. I'm not usually hungry after a hard workout so taking in that 2grams carbs per lbs body weight is especially difficult for me some days. Now I have a pretty standard staple post workout food to help me increase my carbs, chocolate soy milk. Packed full of carbs and protein, this is my go to drink when I'm done with a workout. 

3. Under consuming calories

Confession time. I'm a religious calorie counter. And I over-regulate myself because I have a hard time getting my mind to factor in workouts. That's not bad when I'm trying to drop weight, but it's awful for trying to maintain or even gain.

My Top 5 Foods for the Triathlete:

1. Chocolate Soymilk

My favorite after-workout snack! 140 calories per serving, 23 grams of carbs, and 5 grams of protein. Two cups of this and you'd be golden.

2. 2% Cottage Cheese

90 calories in a 1/2 cup and 14 grams of protein, this is my staple before bed snack. It's packed full of casein, so consuming this is supposed to help prevent your body from breaking down muscle mass during the night to fuel calorie burn.

3. Fruit Leather

45 calories per strip, made from real fruit and jam-packed with 12 grams of carbs, I love these things! They're delicious and they're about 2 mm thick so I can cram 2 or 3 in my duty pants and be fine for snacks.

4. Almonds

I pack these for my morning snack, 160 calories per serving with 14 grams of healthy fats and 6 grams of protein. My primary concern with most snacks is to consume enough protein to prevent muscle breakdown after training.

5. Banana

100 calories and 29 grams of carbs; this is my pre-workout snack. It's great for the GI and it provides enough carbs to sustain long-lasting energy.

So that's the gist of my nutritional experience since starting my training! All foods available at your local Wal-Mart.

The Bad Days

Hey y'all. So one thing I've learned from my Ironman training so far is that you will have bad days. Yesterday was one of those days. I started out on what was supposed to be a 2-3 hour bike but because of missing a workout I was really just pushing for 1 1/2 hours. I had planned everything so that I'd be out the door and riding at noon when the weather was warmest and the forecast had told me there was only supposed to be a very light breeze (like 6 mph).

Murphey's law: The Forecast Always Lies.

I went out on the bike only to discover that the wind was actually blowing at 14 mph with gusts of 20 mph intermittent throughout the day. I also discovered the wind was blowing from the North. Directly. My bike route runs down Highway 50, which turns towards the NE/E for most of my ride. So I battled a crosswind for most of the ride and a headwind for another good portion. Not only that, but about a mile into the ride I discovered that I had forgotten my sunglasses back at home. So I got to turn around and ride the mile back, pause and grab my glasses, and then back out onto the highway. I was livid.

After that, nothing seemed to go right. I averaged 16 mph (my usual in a crosswind) for the first 7 miles. But that last 5 were pure hell. The last 5 I had a strong headwind and no matter what I did I couldn't shake it. I tried pedalling down in the drops, I flattened myself out in to the aero tuck, I did everything I knew to beat the wind, including shifting into a smaller chainring and pedalling at a higher cadence. At that point, the wind started pushing me back so I had to shift back up and mash the gears to fight it off.

And it sucked. Brutally. I made it one hour in the ride before I called it off. And I was depressed. And miserable. And I felt like the worst Ironman candidate ever. But here's the thing.

YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE BAD DAYS! It doesn't mean anything. Your bike will break halfway through your ride, you will lose your favorite water bottles, you will fall off and bang yourself up because that stupid semi wouldn't move over six inches. It will happen. And it will get better.

Sometimes a bad ride is just a hard ride. My ride was something like that. A strong wind is actually one of the greatest simulations you can have for hill workouts in a flat area. It's actually a good thing.

So take the small blessings along with the big ones. And always remember, go out hard...finish harder.

The New Haul

So out on the bike today in 40 degree weather, I realized some gear that I was lacking which will now be used on most of my winter bikes! A quick trip to Wal-Mart (turns out this is a good time for this) and my problem was remedied! So let's look at my haul! 

First thing I realized on the bike was that the 30 degree wind blowing through my helmet was absolutely ridiculously cold. A little googling turned up the answer (my wife later informed me her father already did this but I hadn't noticed) and off to Wal-Mart I rushed for a do-rag! Apparently at Wal-Mart, they now carry safety orange Do-rags which matches my race kit perfectly so now the problems solved! According to some online blogs I follow, it should also help in the summer with keeping sweat from rolling down my face.

Next up was something to protect my ears from wind on my runs. Enter the stocking cap. At Wal-Mart, they're currently on sale for $2.00 so run out and pick one up if you don't have one! I bought a reversible kind to make it match my race kit and work for uniform around the station but they carried a huge selection so you should be able to find something to match your kit. The stocking hat is small enough to fold down and tuck into a jersey pocket but also is warm enough to protect my head while running.

Last up will actually be part of a couple posts! After my ride I happened to glance down and realize I had to do something. You see, I managed to wind-burn my chest. Since nothing looks more stupid than splotchy red patches on your chest, I ran to Google for the solution and discovered what will be the topic of one of my next posts. Homemade Vapor Barriers! Basically, it's a half-vest made out of a garbage bag. (Tutorial coming soon) This keeps the wind from blowing through your lycra cycling clothing and chilling you to the bone. You can also keep your feet warm without thermal covers in a similar manner! (Also coming soon.)

So hopefully next ride, the new gear will help keep me a tad warmer! Happy cycling!

From Loser to Cruiser

 

Hey everybody! So as you all know, I currently ride a GMC Denali 700c Road Bike, purchased from a local Wal-Mart! (The pink cruiser in the background is the wifey's) And personally, I love my bike! So lately I've been hearing some people talking about how horrid of a bike it is and how it isn't worth upgrading. Enter Sir Flat Broke Ironman to the rescue! Because, you see, I fully intend to ride the Denali into the ground, until it's either totalled or my financial situation improves to the point where I can afford a decent tri-bike! So this is a quick guide to show you through what I intend to do with the Denali in the next few years how to make your own clunker road bike match the space-age bike snobs!

1. Clipless Pedals

If you read my earlier review of the Denali, you know it comes with flats. Which is a MAJOR problem as far as bike speed and power efficiency goes. I understand the logic, most people buying an intro level road bike need to get used to simply riding a road bike and that's much easier to do without wiping out due to clipless issues.  So step one for my bike and hopefully yours, is going to be to install a clipless pedal system to increase overall cycling power. I'm looking at installing these bad boys http://www.amazon.com/Venzo-Shimano-Cycling-Bicycle-Pedals/dp/B00D9B7FOQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1385435762&sr=8-3-fkmr1&keywords=clipless+pedal+venzo. Remember, you need shoes, cleats, and the pedals to make the system go! I'm looking at adding this to my bike around late January or February.

2. Clip-on Aero Bars

This is basically a temp fix until I can get integrated aero bars. These basically just clamp onto your handlebars and adjust to a modified aero position. I intend to install these at the same time as the clipless pedals, all of which should help you (and hopefully me) look closer to the athletes on $6,000 bikes. Quick tip: The same tape you use on baseball bats works great on keeping sweaty hands from slipping on aero bars. And it's cheap.

3. High-pressure Slicks and Presta Tubes with Adaptors

The Denali came standard with 700x32 low-pressure hybrid tires. Not bad for intermediate roads but definitely not race material. I'll be upgrading these before my Ironman to high-pressure (100-120 psi) slick racing tires. I'll probably be shrinking the width slightly too. The Denali also came with Schrader valve tubes to make it more commercially viable to a public used to Schrader valves, so those all have to go to be replaced with Presta. And since the rims are drilled for Schrader, they all need rim adapters ($0.65 on Amazon) to keep the valves from tearing loose. High pressure tires reduce your rolling resistance and will help make your clunker more aerodynamic.

4. Wedge Box Top Tube Bag

This is more of an accessory than an upgrade and I'll probably be doing this one in spring when I start going back out for extremely long rides (they're only $10 at Wal-Mart) Another trick learned by watching the father-in-law, he uses one to store immediate nutrition since reaching behind you in aero bars is fraught with peril.

5. Quill-Stem to Threadless Adaptor

If you own a bike with a quill-stem, you know what a pain in the arse it is to find new handlebars. So to fix that problem, you can install an adapter that then allows you to use threadless handlebars with your bike which greatly opens up the possibilities. Eventually I'll grab one from Amazon and fix my handlebar situation which brings us to...

6. Handlebars and Drop Bar Shifters

The Denali comes with extremely heavy and heavily customized handlebars, which have quite literally been cut in half to have mountain bike shifters installed. So replacing these with carbon-fiber bars would be an extreme improvement. Since I eventually intend to install integrated aero-bars, the adaptor is a necessity and bar-end shifters are going to become a must have. If you have some basic bike tune-up skills, this won't be a major project but we'll see how it goes when I'm trying it out! ;)

7. Deep Dish Wheels

This is a long shot since decent racing wheels would cost me 4x more than the bike did, but if you can ever find a great deal on a set of racing wheels, you can greatly lighten your bike and decrease resistance. For me, a new set of wheels would also be the easiest way to get quick-release skewers on my bike!

8. Adjustable Saddle Post

Also a long shot due to cost, but the straight-bar saddle post on the Denali leaves the available positions somewhat lacking. An adjustable saddle post would indeed fix these problems and allow for greater range of motion but they're also expensive. Although speaking from experience, the saddle post in the Denali weighs an entire pound all by itself so a carbon-fiber post could shave some weight.

9. Drivetrain

The Denali's drivetrain is somewhat lacking as the gear ratios and cassette it uses are the same as for mountain bikes, topping off your gear-based mileage at a sub-par area. When these wear out, I definitely plan to replace the cassette and upgrade to a lighter, more weight-efficient drivetrain. This is an excellent way to both gain gearing power and shave off a few kilos.

10. Frame

Eventually, if I have invested all this money already in the bike, I will want to replace the frame with a lighter one to shave off the last few possible kilos! Just remember, although the components may change the bike itself keeps on living!

So that's essentially my master plan to help you take the old clunker and match it with the space-age bikes of the new cycling generation. Always remember, in Ironman especially, it's your heart that makes the difference. The best equipment in the world won't save you if you're heart isn't strong enough to say "dammit I won't quit," whether it's mile 1 or 115!  Now let's get back to racing!

Flat Broke Ironman's Healing Hints!

So with my calf strain and other miscellaneous aches and pains finally cleared up, I've compiled a list of what I learned from my injured experience. There's a few items I recommend nobody go without if they want to get back on their feet as quickly as possible!

1: Get yourself a stiff stress ball. Make sure it has some give but is hard to depress. This was my substitute for a foam roller and it worked wonders! It's also much easier to roll under your feet to relieve plantar fasciitis.

2. Run out and get some new ice packs. No, the old packs you used for college hangovers will not work. The kind you want come in a sleeve and have a velcro strap. The sleeve keeps you from directly icing an injury and the strap means you can strap the pack to your knee, thigh, leg, or whatever else ails you. Look for something like this http://www.walmart.com/ip/PhysiciansCare-Ice-Pack-Strap/15815745.

3. Save a few bucks and make yourself a hot pack. Instructions here http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Rice-Sock  ! Basically you fill a sock with uncooked rice and whip stitch the cuff shut.

4. Kinesiology tape is highly recommended if you have the extra dollars to spare! It's primary purpose is to stabilize the muscles and remind your body of the injury all while stimulating blood flow which improves healing.

5. I'm also a huge fan of plain old athletic tape for joint injures. Let's face it, when you injure something that can't be rested, like an ankle, taping it will give you the support you need to keep moving.

6. Ibuprofen is also a must! Anti-inflammatories are one of the best ways you can help injuries, as let's face it, almost all running injuries are caused by inflammation and irritation.

7. Remember, the best tool for your arsenal is PRICE (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) Follow those guidelines and most minor injuries will figure themselves out. 

So next time you get injured, this is a highly cost-effective way to help you heal as quickly as possible!

The Dead Rat in the House, Or How I Shaved My Legs

So today I woke up and realized, I looked like an idiot. My one shaved calf patch was practical but was also looked like I didn't know how to groom properly. So when my wife, who actually dislikes men with shaved legs, mentioned that I might want to shave mine, I knew I had to do something. So time to shave up!

Step One: I took those same clippers my wife uses on my hair and buzzed my calves and thighs down with the 1/8" guard, managed to cut myself once, and found out how extremely furry I apparently was before. My wife thought this was hilarious and asked me if I had killed a rat.

Step Two: And here is where men should take note, you need to buy a pack of NEW disposable razors and you need to get the kind meant for women shaving their legs. You also need some quality shaving cream, which thanks to my sensitive skin I already had, to prevent razor bumps. Don't worry about what people will think, just spend the $5 and get some quality supplies. I had the annoyance of my life trying to shave with the same dull razors I use daily for my chest. So lather up and shave down.

Step Three: Go back over again, you missed some obvious patches. Trust me. If you're shaving up to the swimsuit line (which you should if you're a triathlete) make sure to check your hamstrings and the backs of your knees. These will require some contortions to get into place.

Step Four: Accept that shaving your legs if you never have before is a multi-day process. It will take more than one attempt to get them perfectly shaved and smooth.

Step Five: Prepare for massive amounts of ridicule from men who don't understand why you did it. Especially if you're a firefighter!

Now let's discuss the reasons why shaving your legs is actually a good idea.

One: Swimmer's do it. You're a swimmer. And they don't do it for no reason. It allows you to feel the water better. I didn't believe this was true until I put my pants on after shaving and realized how much more sensitive everything is. And that translates to the pool. Trust me.

Two: Road rash. You probably spend a decent amount of time cycling (especially if you're training for an Ironman) and sooner or later, you will wipe out. And you will get road rash. And it is much less painful to apply and remove bandages from shaved skin than from hairy legs. Trust me on this one. It hurts.

Three: Massage. Whether it's a sports massage or your foam roller, shaving your legs lets you get deeper into the muscle and improves the massage experience.

So now that I have shaved legs, I appreciate all these little things. We'll see if I keep it up but for now I don't mind. It certainly makes the KT tape easier to remove! 

Ideas for the Triathlete Christmas Eve Rush

Well, it might seem sinful to start discussing this before Thanksgiving, but Christmas is right around the corner and everyone is wondering what to get their family members! If you happen to have a triathlete in the family, the what do I get them solution gets even more complicated, especially if you don't know all that much about triathlons! Well never fear, possible readers, there are quite a few gift ideas that your triathlete will love without breaking your pocketbook!

Idea One: Headphones

Triathletes always need headphones. I personally go through around two pairs per year, between blowing out speakers (mostly by listening to books on tape where the readers voice is extremely bass) or losing them or drying them or washing them...you get the idea. Your best bets are going to either be

A) A brand you already know they love.

B) A brand that is specifically made for athletes (These are usually waterproof and designed to stick in the ears)

C) A brand with clips to wrap around the ears and keep them from falling out.

D) A brand with a built-in microphone so they can answer calls while running.

Two: Nutrition

Fueling triathletes is an expensive endeavour all in itself. The average person needs to consume around 50-100 calories every 30 minutes while cycling or risk bonking, and the average cost of a 100 calorie energy gel is around $1.50, so the costs add up quickly. Whether it be a Gu Sampler pack, a box of Clif Bars, or a new can of the latest and greatest sports drink, you can never go wrong by buying a triathlete food.

Three: Foam Rollers or a Sports Massage

Professional triathletes get weekly sports massages to work out all the aches and pains acquired while training but the average age-grouper has difficulty affording that, so foam rollers are the next best thing. They're basically a metal rod with ridged foam sheaths that slide over to allow the triathlete to massage their own muscles. They work...amazingly well. They're also around $15 at Wal-Mart, so that's an easy bet. The wife and I made the father-in-law fairly happy with one of these last year. The other option is to buy them a one-time sports massage.

Four: Phone Holders

Your triathlete probably already owns one of these but they come apart at the stitching pretty easy so everyone usually goes through a couple a year. They're $10 at Wal-Mart and they're pretty much universal for fitting phones.

Five: KT Tape Pro

Maybe I'm blowing the Love horn a tad too hard, but this stuff is amazing. Your Ironman is bound to get injured sooner or later and this stuff will help them get back on schedule. It's $17 at Wal-Mart and comes in neon reflective shades for road running.

Six: Swiftwick Socks

Triathletes also go through socks faster than anybody will believe but once your triathlete tries swiftwicks, they'll never need another pair. Swiftwicks are made from olefrin, an ultra-moisture wicking material that also has compression properties. Basically, you never have to worry about blisters while wearing these bad boys. Grab a pair (I recommend Swiftwick Aspire Ones) and they'll love you forever.

Seven: Winter Gear

Underarmor products, running tights, cycling jackets, triathletes train in the worst conditions possible to prepare for race day and we all could always use more bad weather gear! Remember, ultra-light is always better and compression is a huge plus!

Eight: Training Guides

It is said we stand on the shoulders of giants and that's very true in triathlon. Without the tried and true training methods that countless others have developed, we would never be able to achieve our ideal times. But first, we have to learn what those training methods are. So head over to Barnes and Noble and browse the sports section. Anything by Ironman is an excellent option.

Nine: Running Shoes

These are iffy, because most triathletes know more about their feet than anything else and they're usually pretty picky about their shoe types. But running shoes are ideally changed every 3 months, so new shoes are an excellent gift! Just make sure to ask or sneak a peak at their running gear before buying them!

Ten: FuelBelt

If they don't already have one, this is a great idea! I love FuelBelt products, it allows no worry on long runs about nutrition and during races it ensures that you won't be stuck with some sports drink that creates GI distress!

Those are just some ideas to keep you from being totally lost this Christmas! Happy shopping!

The Tape From Heaven

So yesterday as I was preparing to get off shift at the fire department, I did something very stupid. I went to jump up onto the step to climb some stairs to the day room....and missed and slammed my leg into the ground straining my calf. All day yesterday and today I've had a burning nagging pain in the center of the meat of my lateral gastrocnemius, on the outside of the calf which was a rather weird place but still. It's been bugging me all day, not while walking but when changing directions. I've been heat/ice rotating, PRICE following, and I even made today a rest day to avoid aggravating the injury further. None of which helped AT ALL.

Enter the ever helpful father-in-law. My father-in-law suffers from an incessant calf spasm issue which makes it difficult for his run to be its best, so I noticed a long time ago he applies some weird multi-patterned tape to his calf every few days. When I asked, I found out its called kinesiology tape.

Virtually unheard of until the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Kinesiology tape is the latest craze in physical therapy. But unlike PT, it's readily available in a Wal-Mart near you! (If you can't tell, my town quite literally only has a Wal-Mart. That and one sports store. But that's pretty much all the sports supply.) KT Tape Pro is the most readily available in the line and it's priced at a sweet $17 for a roll of 20 strips. Factor in that a properly applied strip will last several days (through showering) and you've got quite the bargain there. I decided to test it on this calf strain.

Step One: The Purchase

This is what came in the box with the jet black, KT Tape Pro I purchased. A roll of tape strips, a clear carrying case, a decal (COOL!), and a set of instructions.

Step Two: The Shaving of the Legs

I am one of the very few triathletes who does not shave their legs. Chest, underarms, face sure! But not legs. It's some of the last hair I have left. But the tape adheres better when shaved, so using the same clipper set my wife buzz cuts my hair with, I proceeded to shave the portion of my calf. After going over it with my razor, my calf is now smooth as a baby's butt.

Step Three: The Application

The Wal-Mart brand tape proved to not be pre-perforated in the center for Y-stripping, so I had to cut it with scissors down the center but that wasn't too big a pain. I followed the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XTxAREiYFE !

So, I located the center of the pain, a small burning dot in my calf, stretched the muscle out, and proceeded to thank god that I've done yoga because holding that stretch and applying the tape was a royal pain. I applied the tape (just one strip necessary), rubbed it down to generate heat (I screwed up shaving one edge so it peeled up but still works!) and then jogged around the room to test it out. And you know what ?

PAIN FREE! I'm too cynical to say 100% but I haven't felt a twinge yet so 100% WHOOH! I love KT Tape! This stuff is working great for me! I highly recommend every triathlete rush out to Wal-Mart for a roll! It's much cheaper than paying for a regular physical therapist and if you follow the videos online, you'll be able to train just as normal as before your injuries!

The Bad Snow Day Workouts

So today was one of the mornings where the triathlete part of you wakes up cursing. Why? It's been pouring snow outside for several hours now. And, Murphy's law, today's agenda was cycling day. Well, at least on the highway, that's out. So what do you do when you can't get out to train? Well, fortunately living in Greeley taught me to deal with frequent snows and training disappointments.

You see, where I live, it snows infrequently and melts off fairly quickly, so Greeley was a huge shock since it'd snow for a couple days straight and then stick around for two weeks through absolutely gorgeous weather. So if you're stuck indoors through your training season, you've got a few options to minimize the annoyance. 

1. Head to your local Rec center, community building, or gym

Most towns have a place where you can pay a dollar or two to use their facilities for a day. As a firefighter, I get access to the community Rec center for free, and thankfully they're well stocked with stationary bikes and treadmills. (No indoor pool, thanks to squeamish tax-payers, but that's a rant for another day.) So with a few high-intensity workouts, it's pretty easy to maintain and even gain fitness. 

2. Buy yourself a cycle trainer and treadmill.

This is actually my preferred route (I hate sharing machines in gyms) and after Christmas the cycle trainer should be good! (Hi, honey, I love you!) I'm still on the market for a treadmill...and a place to put it....and someone to be selling one who doesn't want over $50....but that's besides the point.

3.Make it a strength training day

One thing I've learned, most Ironman triathletes don't have time to fit strength training into their already busy schedules. So when it's bad outside, take a day for the weights. A vinyl dumbbell set at Wal-Mart is about $20 and can take you up to 40 lbs, which is more than most lightweights I know can curl.

4. Cross-train

This seems redundant as we get so much of this as triathletes but snowy days can be a great day to head to gym and shoot baskets. Sports like basketball give you excellent sprinting workouts and help you get used to sudden power bursts, good for that last marathon mile.

5. Take a rest day

If you're training at all, you could most probably use it. The last thing you want to be on race day is over-trained and taking extra rest days is one way to prevent it. Your muscles will thank you.

So what I will wind up doing today is still up in the air but I'm most probably going to drag my happy butt to the gym to plow away on a treadmill or bike. Happy training!

Fueling the Beginning Ironman

Like some other triathletes I know, I have a hard time maintaining weight. Only not in the gaining area, in the losing. I'm a chronically skinny guy so holding my race weight in muscle is harder than usual for me. I just weighed in before this post on my wife's WeightWatchers scale (My bodyzone crapped out after three months of training). This weigh in, I was 140 lbs. with a 15.1% body fat, about what I expected. My racing weight is around 135 lbs with 12% body fat. The challenge is balancing this with a job where sacrificing muscle mass can be a death wish. It's hard to drag someone 3x your body weight out of a fire, no matter how hard you train for it. So to compromise, I've been using DailyBurn to track my calories and ensure I'm getting enough to keep me at the 140 lbs. threshold.

I tend to eat around six meals a day in small increments, a trick I learned from body building. I usually eat pretty healthy while training (I've fallen off the bandwagon fairly frequently in the off season). This usually still doesn't give me enough calories so to supplement those calories on training days, I have my set nutrition snacks for during rides and runs. So without further ado, here's my list of favorite nutritional products!

1. Clif Bar Mint Chocolate

These babies were the first Clif Bars I ever tried, mostly because they're my father-in-laws favorite flavor. They're jam packed with green tea extract which adds caffeine, excellent for early morning swims or runs. They also stay down pretty good, although I do avoid these if my heart rate is going to max out, as they are pretty heavy for the first ten minutes.

2. Honey Stingers Pink Lemonade Energy Chews

My father-in-law likes Orange but I've always preferred Pink Lemonade. These babies are pretty pricey so I only eat them during intense training sessions but they seem to give me a lasting boost of quick energy. The lasting part is what matters to me. They're also organic and made in Colorado so I get to support a state business, an added plus.

3. Gu Tri-Berry Energy Gels

I've tried quite a few energy gels in the past year from Clif Shots to Honey Stingers but none has worked so well or been as tasty as Gu, my personal favorite being Tri-Berry. I've tried the Gu Roctanes but I find the flavors disgusting and not worth the extra dollar they usually cost. I take one of these babies with me every time I run farther than 10k and I down it right at that point to keep me from crashing. They're easy on the stomach and the taste buds!

4. Clif Shot Bloks Black Cherry

A substitute for when Honey Stingers aren't available, Clif Shot Bloks basically have all the same benefits and a delicious taste; however, the texture has always been off-putting to me. It usually feels like chewing rubber but if you can get past that (not too hard) they're an excellent energy chew.

5. Gatorade Blue Frost

At the risk of causing a flame war with purist triathletes, I have to own it. Gatorade is my sports drink of choice. What can I say, I grew up drinking it in sports from middle school up, and honestly it calms GI issues better than anything else I know. I mix it weak, one 12 oz. serving size in a 24 oz. bottle of water and then divided up between my FuelBelt flasks and I find that gives me enough simple carbs to not have to worry about bonking until quite a ways into the run. I've tried some of the other drinks on the market; I've always found Ironman Powerade to be too salty and Cytomax gives me GI issues. Budget tip though, the biggest difference between those drinks? A 63 serving size can of Gatorade powder costs $8 at Wal-Mart. A 27 serving size tub of Cytomax at the Vitamin Shoppe will run you $15. The numbers speak for themselves to my budget mind.

Fueling an Ironman is an expensive task. Here's a tip for the budget minded, REI usually runs a percentage sale on nutrition items bought in bulk. As in buy 20 items get $5 off kind of deals. That can save a huge amount of money in the long run.

Bonus Tip: Clif Bar occasionally makes boxes holding an extra bar for the same price. It takes some scouring to find them but it saves an extra $1 average a box.