I don’t think this has hit the streets in print yet, but below is a link to an article that I wrote for Endurance Magazine. Check it out. I’m telling you, if you are a triathlete and you do any strength training, make it kettlebells.
You will thank me later. Increased power on the bike, increased power in the water, increased core strength for a speedier, more powerful stride on the run. Kettlebells also rehabilitate old injuries and prevent new ones. I’m not sure what else you could ask for! Drop the bodybuilding exercises for something that really gets results. OK, enough preaching. See what you think:
Also, pictured is my friend Betsy Collie, RKC, who has been helping me a bit. She was also referenced in the article along with Tim Anderson, RKC, both of whom are teaching me the art of kettlebells.
As a beginner triathlete, probably one of the most difficult and stressful challenges is how to manage yourself in transition, as well as getting your transition area set up before the race.
This is especially true if this is your first triathlon. Without actually having done it before, it will be a bit stressful for you. If, however, you prepare yourself well and manage to stay calm while you are trying to get your bike shoes on, you can actually make up quite a bit of time on some of your race peers.
If you are doing a longer distance triathlon, like an Ironman or Half-Ironman, having a speedy transition doesn’t make up that large of a time percentage compared to the whole race.
For instance, two extra minutes spent resting in a Half-Ironman might do you some good, but will have little affect on your overall time, which, depending on your ability, anywhere from five to seven hours.
In a sprint triathlon, however, two minutes would probably drop your place in the race by at 20, 30, even 40 places depending on the size of the race. So, making a quick transition from swim to bike, then bike to run is vitally important!
If you are doing your first race, though, I would worry less about time and more about making sure you have everything you need. After a few races, you realize you don’t need that much. Below are 26 tips that might help you in setting up and skillfully navigating your transition area. It is up to you to remain calm, cool, and collected at all times.
Before you start packing your transition bag, think about what gear each sport will require, then add each item to your bag.
For instance, for the swim, you will need your goggles and your race assigned swim cap. If it’s an open water and depending on the water temperature, you may need your wetsuit. For the bike, you will need cycling shoes, helmet and sunglasses. Attention all new triathletes!!!! You do not need cycling gloves! Talk about a time waster! This was a point I pondered for hours before more my first tri, so I have just saved you much brain power. For the run, you will need a race belt with your number on it, your running shoes, and maybe a hat or a visor.
That’s pretty much it for the important stuff. Everything else is more for your own comfort, like a towel on which to place your stuff, or anti-fog spray for your goggles, or extra shoestrings, or some trash bags in case it rains and you want to stick your cycling and running shoes in them. Keep all that stuff in your tri bag at all times and you won’t have to worry about it.
There are many excellent packing lists on the Internet already. If you become a USAT member (good idea if you are planning to do more than one race), they give you a little credit card with a checklist of all the things you might need on race day, like sunscreen, a tire pump, a spare tube, etc. Again, have all your miscellaneous items packed, the work through the list of important stuff. After that, your packed, ready to go, and you can relax.
I like to get to the race early so that I have plenty of time setting up my stuff. I also like to walk around and say hello to everyone that I know who his racing. You will see some stressed out people, so don’t feel bad if you are one of them! You can also learn a lot by watching other triathletes, especially the good ones, set up their transition areas.
As far as warming up before the race, the general rule of thumb is the shorter the race, the longer the warm-up. So, if you are doing a sprint, you might want to run for a mile or so to loosen up. You will also want to get in the water before the swim to stretch out. It’s really up to you what you do. Some do no warm up, some do a lot. If would be more concerned with swimming than anything probably. If you are doing an Ironman or a Half, I would just save my energy and skip the warm-up all together. You’ll have plenty of time to warm-up over the next 5 to 17 hours!
On race morning, you will have the opportunity before the race to put all of the things you need for your race in your own little spot. There will be racks to put your bike on, and your race number will usually correspond with your spot on the rack. Make sure your bike is racked on the side your number is facing, as usually bikes are staggered down the rack on each side.
At this point, I like to walk around the transition area to check out where the entrances and exits are from the swim, to mount your bike, and, most importantly, coming back in on the bike and exiting to start the run.
You will be surprised how similar everything looks when you come back in off the bike. I have wasted valuable minutes searching for my bike in transition, so don’t let this be you! Some folks even put balloons or some other marker at the end of their rack, so they know which rack their bike is on. This is all well and good until the balloon pops or there are two red balloons. My wife used to get me super-hero ballons so I would I know where I was — just look for Spider Man! Either way, just know where your spot in relation to the bike dismount!
You will see people who have their bikes racked either by the handlebars or by the seat, facing out from the rack. I’m not sure which is quicker to pull off and get moving toward the bike mount area, but you do what you feel most comfortable with. I don’t think it matters much.
Simply find a space to either side of your bike and place a towel or a mat. If you happen to luck up and get bike rack that is on the end, you have all the space you want! Lucky you!
After you have walked around a bit (or before), lay your items out in your transition space in a way that makes it simple to get your shoes on off. I like to have my bike stuff on one side and my running stuff on the other.
Always loosen the shoe laces on your running shoes and unfasten the velcro straps from your cycling shoes. You want to be able to get these on and off quickly! Triathlon specific cycling shoes usually only have one strap to mess with, so it makes it much quicker than putting on normal cycling shoes that have three straps. For running shoes, try Yankz or Lock Laces, which are elastic laces with locks that make it easy to just slide your shoes on. They do an excellent job! I even use them in training because they are comfortable, and because I want to be used to them.
Try putting some Vaseline on the top inside part of your shoes at the rear. It will make it easier for your heel to slip into the shoe. I also sometimes put baby powder in my running shoes and cycling shoes to help dry my feet. Remember, you will be wet when you are transitioning from swim to bike!
Lay your helmet top side down on your handlebars or aero bars. Lay the straps open to either side so you can just grab it plop it on your noggin and buckle it up. I always try my helmet on before laying it out just to make sure it’s fitting right and their are no snags or tangles in the straps.
I then put my sunglasses (I usually wear these not only for coolness points but to keep from getting hit in the eye with debris, rocks, bugs, etc.) laying open in my helmet. So, sunglasses on, helmet on and buckled, and your off.
As far as your bike, make sure you’re in an easy gear. You don’t want to start off trying to mount your bike when it is in the big ring!
You should have your fluids already prepared as well, of course. I like a bottle on my down tube, then an aero-bottle full of whatever. If it is a longer race, you should invest in a Bento Box that will allow you to store a lot of your race nutrition, like gels, bars, etc.
Keep a towel hanging on your bike. You can grab this right when you return from the swim to wipe of your face and perhaps your feet.
If you are male and racing in a sprint, in some races you will be allowed to ride without a shirt. In some races, you can’t. The best solution for not having to put a cycling shirt on a wet body is a triathlon specific suit, which you can find online or in any triathlon store. In my very first triathlon, I think I spent at least four of five minutes in transition trying to get my shirt on. For reference, a decent sprint transition time would be less than a minute and a half. Elite athletes often have times of 40-50 seconds.
If you are racing in a wetsuit legal race, you would wear whatever you need under your suit. Some folks use things like Pam cooking spray, BodyGlide, or other wetsuit specific sprays like Suit Juice to enable their wetsuits to slip off their ankles and arms easily.
If it is a wetsuit legal race, when you exit the water and are running to your bike, start removing your suit by pulling the zipper down in back. I usually try to have mine down at my waist before I get back to my bike.
Once back to your bike, I find it much easier to just sit or lie down and pull the thing off my legs. I find if I stand, I have a tendency for my calf muscles to cramp from the pressure of the wetsuit on the legs. Do what works best for you. Removing a wetsuit is a skill you should practice a few times before the race! In Ironmans and bigger Halfs, they have wetsuit strippers there for you. You just lie down and the pull it off. How nice!
When I get back to my bike, I usually put my shoes on first, then helmet, then the sunglasses. Next, grab your bike off the rack and hit it! You have to run your bike to the bike mount area though with your helmet on, so don’t try to get on before then!
After you have smoked your ride, start preparing yourself physically for the transition to the run. Over the last few miles, switch to a lighter gear and spin more to prepare your legs for the run. You should already have a cadence of 85-90 (see my post, Improve Your Running In Five Minutes, for more info on that), so riding at that cadence, at least over the last few miles, would be highly beneficial to your legs. If you have never felt the experience of getting off the bike and running, I urge to try it in a “brick” workout of your own in training before the race!
You should also take in a gel and make sure that you have hydrated properly over the entire ride. You don’t want to have to drink too much at the end of the bike, as it will more than likely be sloshing in your stomach on the beginning of the run.
If you have the bike handling skills, you might also reach down and unfasten your straps on your shoes. I often find that my feet feel much better after wiggling them around and getting some blood to them before they hit the pavement.
Prepare yourself mentally for the transition to the run. Over the last few miles, you should also be prepared in your head. Run through the steps that will result in a speedy transition. Imagine yourself hitting the dismount line, jumping off and running with your bike, the finding your rack and racking it. Next, off with them helmet. Slide your running shoes on and grab your race belt and hat while heading out. You can put your race belt on after you are running semi-comfortably.
A nicely arranged transition area.
At this point in the race, all that’s left for you do is run! That’s about it for my transition tips. If you have any transition tips that you think would fit, please leave them in the Comments section. Thanks for reading! Also, if you are training for a triathlon, let me know which race and when!
In the bookstore the other day, I was reading an article in the new edition of Triathlete Magazine about the hazards of over-engineered running shoes. The article, which I can’t find online anywhere, was written by Matt Fitzgerald and it discussed the trends of running injuries over the years, since running became big in the 1970s. Essentially, even with today’s “technology” in running shoes, injuries from running have not gotten any better.
One of the best and most insightful triathlon bloggers, Chuckie V, was quoted in the article and he recounted his experiences of dropping “stability” running shoes for the lightest and most comfortable trainers he could find. He proceeded to do all of his running in those shoes and his chronic running injuries disappeared. I think he mentioned that as his foot got stronger and started working the way in which it was designed, his foot actually shrank some because your arches naturally rise.
I have had similar a similar experience. When I first start running about six years ago, I was about 50 pounds overweight. Everything I read or heard said big guys are supposed to wear the biggest, beefiest motion control shoes there are. I tried these for awhile, was hurt most of the time, and lumbered through runs looking like I had a pair or bricks strapped to my feet.
Of course, I was still running incorrectly as well, so I was doubly screwed. Once I adopted the principles in Chi Running, the Pose Method, etc., and applied them to my running form, my pains and injuries were reduced after about a week of adaptation. See my article, Improve Your Running in Five Minutes, for more information on that.
It wasn’t until about six months later that I finally woke up and tried the most neutral, cushiony shoes I could find. I haven’t had any injuries since, despite me being larger than your average runner. I have also noticed that since I started wearing the minimum in footwear that I could get away with, my feet are stronger and they are indeed smaller. I used to be a 12, now I’m an 11.5.
This is where most running shoes belong!
I’m not saying you should rush right and buy some Nike Frees and start hitting the pavement. What I am suggesting is that you pay attention to how your feet hit the ground at all times when your running. Pay attention to how your feet react to the shoes you are currently wearing. Start slowly changing your form to more of a forward lean from the ankles, a quick cadence, and a mid-foot strike beneath your hips. You will more than likely find that a switch to a lighter shoe will be much more comfortable.
Once you feel like you are totally adapted, I would consider switching to a shoe with a very flat heel. Personally, because I need widths, I wear New Balance. I have the official “Chi Running” model, which was designed with the help of the book’s author, ultrarunner Danny Dreyer. Rather than having the padding on the heel, which is what you need when you are heel-striker (shame on you), these have the padding on the mid-foot. Actually, these shoes help you hit on the mid-foot, so it would help you adapt quicker to mid-foot striking.
At any rate, if you having problems with your current shoes, or if you have frequent injuries, consider trying a more cushiony, neutral shoe for some of your shorter runs and see what happens. Try doing some sprints in bare feet on a grass field to give your feet a reminder on how they are supposed to operate. Believe me, they will appreciate it!
One guy in the Triathlete Magazine article, recommended going to a reputable running shoe store, trying on several different pairs, and choosing the shoes that you feel are the absolute most comfortable . Not a bad strategy at all!
I apologize if you tried to leave a comment on my group cycling post yesterday and were given an email subscription error. Let’s just say my .php skillz are non-existent. Anyway, the comments section is working properly, so, if you have tips for riding in groups you want added to the list, please leave them. I want to make that post a permanent resource on this site, so your input would be greatly appreciated! Cheers!
It is getting warm enough now for most people to start cranking up the triathlon training. Part of this routine, for me anyway, has always been the once- or twice-weekly group rides from Inside-Out Sports in Cary, N.C.
The are two rides that leave from the shop at 6 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The A-rides average 22-plus for 30 miles around and through the outskirts of Cary. The B-ride is usually 19-21, so it’s a pretty fast ride. Other rides I have done from bike shops in the area, including Cycling Spoken Here and The Spin Cycle in Cary. The B-rides on these I believe were held to 18 mph, which is perfect for this time of the year. One local shop offers a ride on Sunday mornings that is huge! I think I’ve seen as many as 50 riders on that one.
Check around in your area for bike or triathlon shops. Most offer group rides leaving right from their stores. It makes it mighty convenient for them to sell you bikes, helmets, cycling shoes, tubes, etc., when they do that sort of thing, so it behooves them to make sure the ride is fun and safe.
Anyway, over the years I usually have done one or two fast group rides per week. This, along with one long-ride on the weekends, was essentially my cycling training. I have picked up some tips that I share below on etiquette for riding in a group. Many folks are nervous about group riding because of the close proximity to the other riders. You have to pay attention and you count on your fellow riders to do their part in keeping everyone upright.
In no particular order, below are some tips on how to ride in a group setting. Etiquette, I have found, is usually consistent from group to group on organized rides. But there are group specific gestures and signals, as well, so be sure to pay attention to the ride leader for instruction. Someone is usually designated the ride leader before the ride starts.
There is usually an “A” ride, a “B” ride, and sometimes even a “C” ride. Don’t hesitate to ask either the ride leaders or any of your fellow riders about speeds of groups, skill of riders, etc., as this will vary somewhat.
Here are my tips. If I have forgotten any that you think are relevant, please leave them in Comments.
Ride in a group that is appropriate for your cycling ability. For instance, if you typically average 16 mph on a training ride, chances are good you will be in either a “C” or a “B” ride. Expect “A” rides to be 20 mph plus. Each bike shop will vary and will let you know beforehand.
If you are a triathlete and you are going on a group ride with a bunch of road cyclists, typically you will be expected to ride upright, on your bullhorns, rather than down in the aero position. If you are fortunate enough to have a triathlon shop in your town, everyone will likely ride in the aero position. This is nice because it allows you to spend time riding the way you would in actual triathlon. If you happen to have just a road bike, you are still more than welcome to ride with triathletes! Some groups don’t care one way or another, but you should meet the expectation, as some riders get nervous when they don’t know you or your ability to ride. If you tend to weave when you are in the aero position by yourself, it’s best not to try it in a group setting.
If you are new to the group, just start off easy kind of in the middle of the pack. If you have never ridden with other people before, you will find it much easier to ride in the draft of the riders in front of you. The riders on the front and a few rows back are generally the stronger riders in the group and will maintain the pace, usually, while taking the brunt of the wind. Thus, the group travels much faster as a whole than you would by yourself.
For your first group ride, stay in the draft the whole way. Do not take any pulls on the front unless you are quite confident in your ability to stay with the group for the duration of the ride. Trust me, when you are barely hanging on at mile 25 of a 30 mile group ride, you will thank me.
As such, always have directions for your first ride with a particular group. Getting dropped and getting lost, which I’ve done several times, is not fun! I always carry a cell phone and an ID with me regardless of where or with whom I’m riding.
When you ride behind another rider, the rider in front is expected to let the rider behind know if there are hazards ahead. For example, if I’m in front of you and I see a hole in the road ahead, I would point at it and yell, “Hole!”
Another gesture that is used often yelled by whomever is on the ball is “Car up!” This indicates that a vehicle is coming from ahead. “Car back!” would be if a car is coming from behind. “Passing” is when one a vehicle is trying to pass the entire group. There is no rule about how many times things are yelled out, so don’t be shy. “Gravel!” is another phrase you hear yelled a lot at intersections, as usually there is debris at intersections and taking a turn on loose gravel can be very tricky.
Only point out truly hazardous things. Some riders point out every little thing. Then, when something like a big rock or a pot hole that needs to be avoided comes along, nobody is really paying attention anymore.
When turning right, most people just point to the right. When turning left, you can either make an “L” shape with your left hand, or just point left. Either way, the key is to let people behind you know that a turn is coming up.
When coming to a stop, just put your hand out behind you and call out, “Stopping.” When the group is slowing, just call out “Slowing.” Most of the things are common sense, so just use your best judgment. No one is going to get mad at you as long as you let them know what you are doing.
When you are in front of another rider and you want to move over and drop back, always move to your left. Never drop back on the right, ever. You might see some people try it from time to time, especially if you are riding two by two, and the guy on the right decides to just to “slide” to the right to come back, but it’s better for him to move two places to the left, then drop back. That way, everyone can plainly see what you are doing.
You will likely either be riding as a group in one line or two. On busy roads, groups will usually ride one abreast. On more desolate roads without a lot of traffic or congestion, it is usually two abreast. At other times, you may ride in a pace line, but this is usually done on “A” rides and requires quite a lot of riding skill on the part of the entire group for it to work effectively.
Don’t worry if you get dropped. Some groups, especially “C” type rides, have “No drop” rules. So, just keep going and you will probably catch up to someone at an intersection. Believe me, everyone gets dropped, even seasoned riders. Some days are better than others!
In case you have a flat, make sure you’re prepared with a tube and either a small pump or a CO2 cartridge and a connector. Even though the rides are usually only 30 miles or so, you still have flats.
If you do hear your tube pop, just stay calm and gradually slow down using the brakes of the tire that is still inflated. Easier said than done! Once you are safely on the side of the road, then start assessing the damage. Usually, somebody in the group will stop with you. This is especially true if you ask. Often riders will check to make sure you have everything you need to change the tire. If you are less than spectacular at changing a tire (shame on you), some kind soul might stay behind with you to help you change it.
As I mentioned above, conserve energy until you have about five miles left. Groups tend to get faster as the ride goes along. On the Inside-Out ride that I do, we cruise about five miles at conversational pace. We then hit it hard for 20 miles, then we cruise back in for five. Each ride is different. On some rides I have done, it’s a sprint right back to the store.
Have fun! Although you are probably a bit nervous, especially if it is your first time riding in a group situation, just remember that everyone is out there to have fun. Other riders will be happy to let you know everything they can about the ride, what they are training for, etc., so you are sure to make some new friends along the way!
I first saw the video below over at Chuckie V’s blog. This is a pretty good summation of some of the sights you will see on race day if you are new to the sport. Enjoy!
Chuckie V’s blog, by the way, is quite excellent. It is veritable treasure trove of training knowledge, and it’s all free. He is triathlon coach, former Ironman champ, and rode with Lance Armstrong on the U.S. Postal Cycling Team. He’s also hiked the Pacific Coast Trail solo twice. So, yeah, he’s been around a bit. His ideas on nutrition are also spot on!
If you are new to the sport of triathlon, one of your biggest concerns is probably the swim leg. Unless you were a swimmer as a youth, in high school, or collegiately, which is a good portion of the population, swimming is often the toughest obstacle to overcome for beginners. For this article, we will focus on “normal” triathlons. I consider “normal” to be 1/2 Ironmans, Olympics and Sprint races with open-water swims. An Ironman race, and especially the swim portion, is far from normal.
So, in most normal triathlons , the swim start is staggered in waves. Waves are usually based on the age group or category in which you are racing. So, in a traditional open-water triathlon, you might start with 20, 30, or even 100 of your fellow competitors, depending on the popularity of the race. Per USAT rules, you can use a wetsuit if the water is below 78 degrees. You can use one above the 78-degree mark, but you will not be eligible for any awards.
I will go over what to look for in a wetsuit in a future post, but for now, let’s assume you either rented one from your local triathlon shop your first or you bought one. Because wetsuits make swimming easier and make you faster in the water, most people are checking the race director’s web site every five minutes in the days before the race to check with water temperature. In some races, it will be so close, the race director will announce if wetsuits will be legal or not the morning of the race, so always bring your suit just in case!
In your race packet, along with a bunch of other stuff, you will get a swim cap that is a particular color based on your wave. For whatever reason, many race directors think it’s funny to give the Clydesdales (men over 200 pounds) pink swim caps.
You will arrive at your race, set up your transition area (also another post), don your wetsuit and head down to the swim start. Don’t forget your swim cap and your goggles! When you get down to the water, you can get in to warm up a bit if you have time. Once it’s time for your wave, the race announcer will ask your group to cross over the timing mat. This enables your timing chip, which also received in your race packet. Without your chip, you will not have an official time, so make sure you have and make sure it’s attached securely to your ankle. You might even tuck it under your wetsuit for better security and less drag in the water.
As you cross the mat, you will be surrounded by several of your fellow competitors, all of whom are just as nervous as you are. I don’t care how many races you have done, or whether the race is a 1/2 Ironman or a sprint, people still get anxious on the swim because you never know just how many times you are going to get hit by a flailing arm or leg.
I don’t want to scare you, but I don’t want to sugar-coat it either. You are probably going to get swam over, or run into, or kicked in the face at least once during the race. All you can do it keep going and not let it bother you. If you are really worried about contact, I would suggest waiting a minute after your wave starts. You will still run into some folks probably, but it will be bet less hectic at the start without the good swimmers in the group battling it out for a good line.
OK, so now, after a few bumps on the start, we are off and swimming in rhythm. Another skill that is required in open-water swimming, besides actually swimming and keeping your head, is sighting. You will need to practice this in a pool by lifting your head occasionally to sight on the end of the lane.
If you have never swam in open-water before, I would highly suggest doing so before your race! It is a whole different ballgame in a big body of water, especially if it’s not in a crystal clear lake or ocean. Most lakes, depending on your area, are going to be murky, making it impossible to see more than a foot or so in front of you when your head is down. Believe me, you don’t want to experience this sensation for the first time during a race. Go to the ocean or a nearby lake and practice sighting on different objects. Sighting and swimming straight during a race is crucial, and you can even put time on people who are a bit better swimmers, but who cannot swim straight!
If you are a bi-lateral breather, which means you can breathe to either side on your swim stroke, then good for you. You have no worries about which way the buoys are set up. If you breathe strictly to one side during a race, some races will set up better for you than others. The race directors will have buoys placed in the water, usually in the shape of a rectangle or triangle. You can swim inside the buoy line, but you have to go outside of the main buoys which are bigger and on the corners. This ensures that you actually swim the entire distance of your race.
I breathe to the right side strictly during a race, so a race that goes in clockwise direction is best for me. In the races I’ve done, I would say it’s about even as far clockwise or counter-clockwise. It’s not a huge deal, as you will be able to see the buoys regardless, it’s just a bit easier to keep perspective on things as you can see them on your right when you breathe right.
That’s really about it as far as what to expect on the swim. The good news is that you are not racing in an Ironman. In these races, everyone — all 2,000-plus triathletes — starts together. Talk about frantic! Be thankful you are only swimming with 50 or so folks, not all of the race competitors!
My best advice would be to stay calm and realized that everyone around is just as nervous as you are. If you get winded or lose your goggles after getting hit in the face, there are usually boats, kayaks and canoes that you can grab onto. You can also just roll over on your back and float for awhile to regain your composure. Look for future posts on how to choose a wetsuit, some drills that will help your open water swimming, and my thoughts on training for triathlon-specific swimming.
In case you missed it, I had a guest post on Zen Habits, one of the best, biggest blogs on the Internet. Leo Babauta is one of the most successful bloggers because he is a wonderful writer and has some fabulous ideas on improving your quality of life by making it as simple as possible. Leo has recently completed his first marathon, and training for his first Olympic distance triathlon. He now blogs full-time from his home in Guam, all the while fathering six kids!
I have two-year-old twins, so I know what raising multiple children entails . I can’t imagine how he does it and trains as well. At any rate, a few months ago, Leo offered to take a few bloggers under his wing for a mini-mentoring program. He answered our questions and gave me lots of helpful advice. Perhaps the most important advice I received was that content is king. Without producing for your readers, your blog will pretty much go nowhere.
I hope I can continue to provide some quality posts on triathlon for those who are new to the sport. I was terribly overwhelmed in my first race and I really had no idea what to expect. If I can relay that to someone who is on the fence about doing a race, and then they decide to sign up and actually try one, that is quite excellent. I love the sport and I hope to indoctrinate as many as I can with my enthusiasm for endurance sports. Thanks very much, Leo, for all of your help!
Leo recently released his book, Power of Less, The: The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential…in Business and in Life I haven’t had the opportunity to read it yet, but when I do, I will be sure to write a review here. Judging by the many of Leo’s posts on his blog, I can assure you that the book will aid you in improving your life. If you are not already a subscriber to Zen Habits, you should join the other 100,000 people who are. Thanks again, Leo!
I’ve enjoyed a few new “training” experiences recently that I’d like to share. First off, I attended my first hot yoga class when I was in Albemarle, NC, visiting my mother who was in the hospital. Even though the circumstances are less than ideal with my mom’s health, I did have the opportunity to attend my first hot yoga class at Albemarle Pilates and Yoga. The studio is owned by my old friend Cindy. She taught the class and is quite the yogini I must say.
It is very easy for me to tell when someone has found their passion in life (unfortunately I don’t know enough people who have found something they are truly passionate about) but it is quite evident that Cindy has found her calling.
At any rate, this was my first indoctrination into hot yoga. It was not Bikram Yoga, as apparently you have to carry a license and know the secret password to call it that, but it was definitely hot! She had three heaters in her yoga room along with 10-12 sweaty people in various phases of breathing. Although it was cold outside, the room got pretty toasty as folks started warming up, pardon the pun.
I am heavy sweater anyway, so my mat was soaked at the end, even to the point of my feet slipping in Warrior II. I did feel that I was able to do the poses easier than in a normal, “cold” class. It would be simple to assume that the heat helped, but I think the heat helped. I hope to get back to Cindy’s class at some point soon. I really like yoga and I always seem to crave feeling those stretches after I have done a class.
First Kettlebell Lesson
I also had my first ever kettlebell lesson. I call it a lesson because that’s really what it is. In kettlebells, technique is so very important that you do not refer to it as “training” or “lifting.” It is practice and practice only, thank you very much. I think that’s what appeals to me so much aboutkettlebells. They get your body into excellent condition from a functional strength and cardiovascular perspective. However, using kettlebells , especially the two exercises on which I will be most focused, the swing and the snatch, are as much a skill as are swimming and running, which I have mentioned before.
At any rate, since I have a goal of becoming RKC Certified at some point this year, I thought it best to consult one to let me know how my form was. Turns out it was much worse that I thought, but RKC II Tim Anderson had me swinging properly in no time. Tim also asked me to show him my rendition of the turkish-getup. Turns out my rendition of that was also completely wrong. Sounds like my experience in learning how to swim four years ago.
Tim spent an hour with me and it was quite productive. Much more productive, I can assure, that continuing to try to learn something so technical on my own. I look very forward to working with Tim next week on another session. My hamstrings are killing me today, but so far I’m no worse for the wear. I am starting on Tim’s protocol to become RKC Certified, which I hope to do in around six months give or take. We’ll see how it goes and how my body holds out, but so far, so good.
I have been reading blogs and web sites about kettlebells for at least four years now. I’m really excited that I finally decided to get serious about training with them and trying to help some folks out myself. I’ve mentioned several times on this site, but the bells are the best thing going as far as strength training goes — unless, perhaps, you’re a bodybuilder. If you are, and I have no problem with bodybuilders and used to dabble myself, you should stick with the same old same old for hypertrophy. If you want strength you can use and can apply to a bike, a powerful stride that doesn’t break down in running, or a more powerful core and shoulders too move more water in the pool, kettlebells are for you.
At any rate, more on my foray into kettlebell certification later. I’m glad the journey has begun!
Tidbits
I ran a 5K with a good friend of mine in Charlotte last Saturday, also on my tour to visit my mom. My friend has just taken up running about six months ago, and has already run five or six 5Ks. She is not very fast, but her form is good. She would do better by walking a bit more, but most new runners are all about running the whole way. New runners take note — your goal of running the whole way in a 5 or 10k (3.1 or 6.2 miles) is a noble one. However, you will go faster if you stop and walk for a bit. Just pick one goal and stick with it. You can’t have both!
At any rate, Melissa set a PR of 42 minutes. I ran the first mile with her and made her walk up the one big hill. It was wet and sloppy, as the rain was pouring. However, we trudged through it. I told Melissa she would have gone probably a minute or so faster if not for the mud and crappy conditions. She has come along way already. I would not be surprised if she decided to tackle a marathon before too long!
Ed. Note: This is a guest post from 10-time Ironman, 2-time NothingMan (self-supported Ironman) Sheila Plemich. You can keep up with her training exploits at http://crackheadfe.blogspot.com
I’m pretty sure someone told you that you need a bike. If you are going to do more than sprint triathlons, it should be a road bike—although a hybrid or MTB can get you through your first few sprints. If you have money to burn, go ahead and get that tricked out triathlon bike, but realize that “it’s not about the bike.”
It becomes pretty obvious that no matter what distance triathlon you choose to race, it’s important to be a good cyclist. There are several reasons:
the stronger you are on the bike, the less painful it will be to run
triathlons are heavily weighted towards time spent on the bike, so as long as you are going to be biking for most of the race, it makes sense to try and be good at it, right?
biking is the part of a triathlon where you are going the fastest, and fast is fun, right?
So how do you get good at biking? Do you buy a bunch of lightweight parts for your bike or race wheels? No. Those things may improve your speed slightly, but once you have them and have used them for a bit, they won’t make you faster.
You get good at biking in two simple ways: bike a lot, and bike hard.
Obviously, if your race is going to include a 25-mile bike leg (an Olympic distance triathlon’s bike leg is 24.8 miles or 40K), then you want to be fit enough to ride 25 miles at a pretty good clip. Depending on how fast you ride, 25 miles might take you 1-1.5 hours. That’s not a long time. But you might want to actually ride further than that sometimes, so it makes the 25 miles seem easy (you’ve probably heard this concept applied to running and swimming, too!).
If you are very dedicated, you’d ride 25 miles maybe three or four times a week. Or, you might ride less than that, one to three times, and then ride longer (say, 40 miles) once a week. Three to four rides a week is usually plenty when it comes to building your bike fitness.
What about the hard part? Just as for swimming and running, you don’t always want to ride at the same pace. You need to have some sort of benchmark to measure what is easy vs. hard for you. Speed is not a good benchmark unless you live somewhere where it is flat, the same temperature and the same amount (or lack) of wind all the time, since hills, temperature and wind significantly impact speed.
Good benchmarks are heart rate and power—power being the gold standard. Most beginners don’t have power meters, so they use heart rate, or a combination of heart rate and perceived effort. Perceived effort is always a good measurement, since even if you do someday spring for the power meter, you will still want to stay in touch with your body’s overall sense of effort, especially at longer races like the half and full Ironmans.
Why do you need to ride hard sometimes? Because climbing hills requires more effort than flats, you might need to surge to pass someone (legally), and because when you ride hard, just like in running, you are working on raising your lactate threshold, meaning that if you do it often enough, you will be able to ride faster at a lower heart rate (or power output).
How often and for how long in each ride do you need to ride hard? When you are first starting out, you may only want or need to spend less than half of your total ride time going hard. You should always begin with a warm-up, and a good rule of thumb is 10-15 minutes for a short ride, 15-30 minutes for a ride of 1-2 hours, and 30-40 minutes for a ride of 2.5+ hours.
As you build up the amount of time you are able to ride hard, you will find it feels easier and easier or you are going faster and faster. This is where the heart rate monitor (or power meter) can really help you out by telling you precisely what you are doing. You should stay at a given level for a few weeks or prove your fitness at that level in a race before you try and go even harder.
What does hard really mean, though? “Very hard” would be as fast as you could go for 25 miles, as in a time trial. Hard would be not as hard as that, where it feels hard but you can maintain it for about 30-40 minutes easily. Below that you have basically moderate and easy, and when you warm up it should be easy building to moderate to prepare you for the hard stuff.
Just as for running and swimming, it can feel easier to push yourself in a group setting. Try and hook up with a local cycling club, which will probably have several levels of riders, or find some other folks you can ride with that are slightly faster than you. Ask around about where the killer hills are in your area. A good workout is to warm-up and then ride a hill or several hills in “repeats,” where you ride up very hard, and then take it easy going back down.
What do you do during the winter if you live in a place where outdoor riding would be dangerous or impossible? You purchase a bike trainer, which is a device where you attach your rear wheel to it and there is a resistance drum that the tire rubs against to simulate road conditions. There are many good trainers on the market, and if you can test ride one before you buy, that’s great, because depending on how strong you are, you might want a different type. If you ride indoors on a trainer, you will want a fan blowing on you because you will sweat a lot due to not creating your own wind.
There is discussion as to how time on the trainer equates to time on the road. Some people think that time on a trainer is “worth” more than time on the road. Forget about it. It is the same. Time is time! But it’s OK to spend less time during the winter months on the trainer than you would if you were riding outside, but make the time count by spending more time going hard than you normally would. You can watch TV, movies, footage of bike races, triathlons, whatever gets you going, and you can have your favorite music on.
You can also buy DVD’s called Spinervals that guide you through specific workouts. My philosophy is that if you put in a lot of hard time in the winter, then the transition to longer outdoor riding is easy. I build up to a 2.5-2.75 hour trainer ride, and once it warms up, I can easily ride 3-4 hours outdoors the very first time I go out. You don’t want to burn out mentally during the winter, so if you cut back your biking time, you can add more swimming or running, because winter is a good time to work on those skills.
It’s as simple as that—bike a lot, and bike hard!
Sheila looking quite aero!
Sheila embarked on triathlons in 2000, coming from a background of 10 years of strength training, two years of running, zero swimming and negligible biking. She completed her first Ironman (which in 1999 she said she would never do) in 2001 and has continued to do one or two a year, a few half Ironmans and sprints just to keep things entertaining. In the process, she has become a student of the sports and has adopted the triathlon lifestyle. You can find her on Facebook and on her blog at http://crackheadfe.blogspot.com.
or 
, which are elastic laces with locks that make it easy to just slide your shoes on. They do an excellent job! I even use them in training because they are comfortable, and because I want to be used to them.
that will allow you to store a lot of your race nutrition, like gels, bars, etc.
I haven’t had the opportunity to read it yet, but when I do, I will be sure to write a review here. Judging by the many of Leo’s posts on his blog, I can assure you that the book will aid you in improving your life. If you are not already a subscriber to 
