From Preseason Project to the Big Island
In the early morning hours, before dawn breaks, 48-year-old Kit Allowitz is awake and grinding. The metrology development manager trains before the sun rises to ensure he can devote the remainder of his day to family and career responsibilities. Hours later in Colorado, Karen Cowles, a registered nurse working from home as a safety specialist with the FDA, is on the bike trainer, pushing through challenging intervals before her lunch break ends. Completing her workout during the day is key to keeping her evening hours open, where she will lead the track workout for her local training group. In a Dallas Texas suburb, 30-year-old coach Elizabeth James wraps up her evening workout before settling into an orientation call with on-boarding…
Top 5 Habits of Kona Qualifiers
It’s difficult to describe the opportunity to compete in Kona to a non-triathlete. It’s like describing the feeling of making it onto the field of the Super Bowl to someone who’s never experienced the joy of watching a football game. It is a unique opportunity to compete on the same day, and on the same course, as many of your idols. You get to live the dream of swimming in the beautiful but grueling Kailua Bay, to pedal against the unforgiving trade winds on the Queen K, and to endure the brutal, soul-burning heat flowing from the lava rock that flanks the Energy Lab. And to your left and right, there are your heroes, racing alongside you. At Kona, you…
Elizabeth James: From Preseason Project to Kona Qualifer
This week, we're proud to celebrate TriDot coach and athlete, Elizabeth James! Elizabeth joined TriDot in 2015 as a Preseason Project athlete. Like all new athletes, she spoke to training advisor, Cindy Reeves, who matched her with Coach John Mayfield. "It was supposed to be a 30 minute call," she remembers, "but John and I talked for almost two hours. I felt so supported and encouraged after that call. I knew TriDot was the right fit for my first Ironman journey. " In September 2015, the Dallas-based school teacher crossed the finish line at Ironman Wisconsin in an incredible time of 13:35. "I wanted to finish my first Ironman with a smile and I totally did," she recalls. "I also knew…
The Importance of Strength Training During Off Season
During off season one of our top priorities should be to increase muscular strength. Incorporating strength training will improve your performance in all three disciplines, improve recovery, and reduce the frequency and severity of injuries. Strength training sessions will look different during off season. You can push your body a little harder. For example, I would have an athlete doing some plyometrics (if they are ready for that). In addition, add more strength building (heavier weights) with less reps exercises. This builds strength and muscle mass. The more muscle we have the more mitochondria we have. Mitochondria aids in oxygenating our muscles and that’s a good thing. When an athlete is off season, their volume is lower which allows them…
Why Triathlon Training Should be Fast Before Far and Strong Before Long – Part 2
In yesterday’s blog, we discussed two key reasons why “fast before far and strong before long” is a wiser, more productive training strategy: It emphasizes stamina over endurance and recovery over merely logging miles. Here are two more crucial benefits: 1. Fast Before Far and Strong Before Long emphasizes proper form Perhaps the greatest casualty in the “first far then fast” mentality is it often produces poor athletic form. As the body overstresses and is exhausted by the overreached distance, it starts to break down and lose form. The result is poor body mechanics, as the body isn’t as fresh, alert, and responsive as it should be. TriDot Co-Founder and four-time IRONMAN Jeff Booher cautions athletes to avoid “having too…
Why Triathlon Training Should be Fast Before Far and Strong Before Long - Part 1
Traditional training principles and workouts in distance events often preach the theory that one must first conquer the desired distance and then work toward increasing speed and strength. This may at first sound good and seem to make sense. But it can be short-sighted, self-defeating, and possibly even injury-inducing. It can also result in meaningless and even harmful “junk miles” and increased training time. The better strategy is “fast before far and strong before long.” It’s one of TriDot’s fundamental beliefs which focuses first on developing strength and speed, and then emphasizes distance. Here are two of four primary reasons this belief makes good sense and produces better results: 1. Fast Before Far and Strong Before Long emphasizes stamina, not…
Jessica Baxter: Finding Gratitude in Every Moment
On August 25th, 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall, burying much of Houston and the surrounding areas under several feet of water. TriDot Coach, Jessica Baxter, and her family, lost everything - their apartment, many valuables and even both cars. If you've ever met Jessica, you know that she is one of the most positive and supportive people out there. In fact, last year she raced Kona and raised $40,000 for Women for Tri! She lives her life to serve others. In the midst of loss and despair, though, she and her husband have remained full of hope and, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, she shares with you her personal gratitude list. When you have lost most everything, you realize how little value ‘things’ hold.…
Madden on Excellence: Adding Excellence to Your "A" Race
As the 2017 season comes to a close it is essential to start reviewing your season highlights and challenges and start the necessary planning to build your next season around your “A” race. Your “A” race should be the pinnacle of your season. It is the one race that you really want to master and demonstrate a high level of excellence. It is the one race where you will bring your “A” game and get a huge return on your season investment. Furthermore, experiencing excellence during this race will be the litmus test of how well you followed your season training program, nutritional program, advice from your coach, and execution of your race strategy. What does it feel like to…