Training - Page 3

The Top 3 Triathlon Recovery Methods You Should Consider

Triathlon recovery is an absolute truth in every athlete’s training program, and most multi-sport competitors are keenly aware of this. However, many triathletes only consider the most obvious recovery methods: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. But what about the triathlon recovery methods you may not be using? 1. Active Recovery While rest is obviously essential, believe it or not, staying active actually does more for your recovery process than sitting still. The latest research suggests that an easy spin on the bike, a low-intensity run, yoga, or even a short, brisk walk can work to “flush” your legs of metabolic waste products (Ertl, par. 1). These are Zone 1 (or below) activities performed at a conversational pace without any intent…

Recovery / Triathlon

Jessica Baxter

My IRONMAN Challenge: From Five Simple Words to Mission - Kona

We’ve all done it. Inadvertently or prematurely sent a post on social media and then later thought twice about it. Most of the time there isn’t a significant consequence. In my case, there was. It was really quite innocent. A friend of mine, a board member for Women For Tri, made a Facebook post announcing the application process in their search for a woman who embodies the spirit of their foundation. The honor: a spot at the 2016 IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii (everyone else has to qualify for the prestigious event). The challenge: the selected woman would be responsible for raising $25,000 to support the organization’s mission. Despite the incredible challenge, I was intrigued and inspired. I love…

Inspiration / Kona Challenge / Training

Paul Wiley

4 Common Lessons for Building a Start-Up and Completing an Ironman

Starting your own business isn’t a sprint. It’s not even a marathon. It’s an Ironman. Both test the mind, body, and will to the extreme. I know because I’ve had the chance to do both – at the same time – and am still living to tell about it. In May 2013, after graduating from SMU’s Cox School of Business Executive MBA program, I set out on two adventures. The first was a business dream: to fix healthcare economics (not easy!). The second was an athletic goal: Complete an Ironman (not easy either!). Twelve months later, Opargo was launched and I had finished my first 70.3 and full Ironman. Here are four lessons similar to both: 1. There are multiple…

Ironman / Triathlon

TriDot

Mental Training for Triathletes

When preparing for a triathlon event, you wouldn’t wait until race day to prepare your legs, lungs, heart, or even your gear. So why ignore and neglect your mind? In fact, some athletes might argue that preparing your mind is more important than your physical preparation, especially when it comes to long course triathlons, such as IRONMAN. The truth is, the most physically fit athlete can easily be derailed on race day if mentally unprepared. Many athletes think of mental training as pushing their physical limits by mentally blocking out pain or ignoring the desire to ease up or stop. This is, of course, a part of mental preparedness; however, mental training goes far beyond this concept. Techniques and practices…

Psychology / Race Strategy / Training

Jared Milam

Three Power Threshold Training Points to Always Remember in Triathlon

Power threshold training, for the purpose of this blog post, is the training done on the bike in order to increase your Functional Threshold Power (FTP). FTP is the maximum sustainable power one can hold for a given amount of time. Increasing your FTP is perhaps the most important thing you can do for your cycling. An athlete with a higher FTP will be able to hold a faster pace more comfortably than an athlete with a lower FTP. For example, if Tim’s FTP is 225 watts and he’s holding 85% of that power for the bike leg of an IRONMAN, then Bill who weighs the same as Tim and has an FTP of 200 watts must hold a higher…

Bike / Training

Elizabeth James

3 Steps Toward More Effective Triathlon Training Recovery

“Anyone can work hard. Do you have the discipline to recover?” – Lauren Fleshman, U.S. champion in the 5000 meters, 2006 and 2010. After finishing a beast of a workout where you hit all of the intervals and managed to keep your pace despite fatigue, your mental confidence should be high and you should be another step closer to reaching your goal. And you will be – if you recover correctly. Sadly, many athletes do not understand that without proper recovery their grueling sessions are doing more damage than good. After a tough training session, your body is in a fatigued state. You have broken down tissues and muscles, and your energy stores are depleted. The following three steps will…

Recovery / Training / Triathlon

Jared Milam

The Triathlon Swim: 3 Key Insights Part 2 - Sighting

Yesterday we initiated a conversation on the three key insights for the triathlon swim by discussing the importance of the start position. Today we’re moving on to an even greater insight – sighting. Sighting What will often separate one who has trained for the pool from one who has trained for the triathlon swim is the ability to ascertain the shortest distance between two points. Hours upon hours of obtaining proper technique and superior swim endurance are all reduced to nothing if you don’t know how to lift your head out of the water to “sight” a buoy. A focus on swimming faster with little concentration on direction is a silly gamble to roll the dice on for a few…

Swim / Training / Triathlon / TriDot Training

TriDot

6 Signs You Might be Overtraining for Your Triathlon – Part 2

Take the demanding nature of triathlon and add to it the highly motivated, type A athletes who participate in this multi-disciplinary sport and you have a recipe for… overtraining. It doesn’t have to be that way. In the last blog, we saw that constant aches and pains, decreased performance, and an increased heart rate are indicators that you could be overtraining. Here are a few more factors to be aware of: 4. Emotional mayhem Closely related to an increased morning heart rate is a general irritability and moodiness that often accompanies overtraining. As your body is overtaxed, so is your emotional well-being. Are you more irritable about insignificant things than normal? Are you a challenge to be around, snapping and…

Training / Triathlon

TriDot

6 Signs You Might be Overtraining for Your Triathlon – Part 1

Take a demanding sport composed of three equally difficult disciplines and add highly motivated, goal driven, type A personalities, and you’ve got the recipe for overload and overexertion. Unfortunately, the byproduct of these converging factors is often overtraining. But fortunately, there are some basic warning signs that, if recognized and attended to, can minimize the consequences of overtraining, if not prevent it altogether. 1. Aches and pains The most obvious warning signs of overtraining are chronic aches and pains and constant muscle, bone, and joint soreness. This isn’t the typical achiness that accompanies a rough practice or race but a constant state of fatigue and physical rundown. Six-time Ironman World Champion Dave Scott explains, “Indeed, there are times throughout the…

Training / Triathlon

Elizabeth James

Triathlon Training Intensity: Know When to Back Off or Take Off

Triathletes typically have Type A personalities. We’re goal setters, “go-getters,” and overachievers. Instead of training for one sport, we train for three. Our grocery carts replicate the fresh produce and meat department, our cars look like a sporting goods sale, and there’s never a time when we’re caught up on laundry or washing water bottles. We spend a wealth of time researching how to eliminate a few more ounces on the bike and pouring over cadence, power, and heart rate data. And we have the ability to push through uncomfortable training in order to make athletic progress. But the personality characteristics that are associated with these activities can also get us in trouble. We have to know when to back…

Recovery / Triathlon Training

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