Tri Talk Tuesday - 10 Great Gifts for the Triathlete In Your Life

17 days until Christmas!  And it's Tuesday.  You know what that means??  It's TRI TALK TUESDAY!  Today Courtney (who just became a new mom) Cynthia and myself will be offering up some gift ideas for that triathlete in your life.

Gifts Under $25

1.  Race laces:   These laces transform your regular running shoes into speedy race ready triathlon shoes.  Never mess with tying laces on race day again.  They come in a myriad of colours so you can always #runmatchy.  Lock laces and Xentex are popular brands. ($8-$10)

2.  Nutrition:  Does your athlete prefer to use whole foods for training and racing?  Then this product from Untapped that uses pure maple syrup would be a great stocking stuffer.  You can get a box of 5 gels for $9.95.  Of course Canada has their own version called Endurance Tap.

3.  Road ID:  This is one of THE best things you can get the athlete in your life, especially if they do a lot of their training solo. (Wrist ID slim and Wrist ID sport are under $20!)

4. Custom Bike Stickers:  Make your favourite athlete look and feel like a pro with these custom bike stickers with their name and country flag on them.  Order online from VeloInk.  (approx $10)

5.  Motivational Jewelry / Accessories:  I've just recently become an ambassador for Momentum Jewelry and they have some AWESOME pieces for that athlete in your life.  It's something a little different as well.  This single Foot Note is $9.99 US or you can get a pair for $15.99 US.

Gifts Under $100

6.  Nightrunner 270 lights.  I got the chance to review a pair and now I use them all the time and I can't say enough amazing things about them.  Every time I wear them, people comment.  I've actually had people run me down to ask me about where I got them.  $60 U.S.

7. The Arena Wetsuit Sack.  Not only does this amazing bag provide storage for even the bulkiest of wetsuits, but it also does double duty as a changing mat and staging area.  Not bad for $80.

The "You Were Really Good This Year" Gifts - $100 +

8.  The Hyperice Vyper Foam Roller.  This is the Cadillac of foam rollers.  It is a battery powered foam roller with 3 settings that allow your muscles to relax so you can really get into those tight spots.  I got the chance to try it at the Runner's Academy and it's amazing.  Triathlon Canada magazine claims it is one of the best self care items on the market.  For $300 it should be!

9.  The Garmin Forerunner 920xt:  I've been using Garmin devices for a long time and this one has got to be my favourite.  It's got indoor and outdoor settings for running and biking and it has a pool and open water setting.  It also tracks your running cadence as well as your steps taken throughout the day AND, if all of that wasn't enough, it also tracks your sleep.  Add the heart rate monitor to the mix and you've got the ideal training tool.  $650 CDN

10.  Bontrager Ballista Helmet:   This helmet offers you all the same benefits of an aero helmet but with better ventilation and the traditional styling of a road helmet.  So if you don't like the look of traditional aero helmets or if you're going to be racing somewhere really hot, this helmet is ideal.  It comes in 3 different colours;  bad ass matte black, classic white and the uber bright high-viz yellow.  $175 CDN

What's on your Christmas list?  I'm hoping for the Vyper foam roller!  

Head on over to the link up to check out the other posts!  

An InLinkz Link-up

Tri Talk Tuesday - A Quick Guide to Indoor Cycling Options

Now that November is here, I think it's safe to say that almost everyone in the Northern Hemisphere has probably taken the majority of their cycling training indoors.  The mornings are too dark and cold for my liking and the evenings aren't much better so I've started frequenting my "Pain Cave"on a more regular basis.   This is exactly why Cynthia, Courtney and I thought that indoor cycling would be a great topic for this months Tri Talk Tuesday.  I'm going to delve into the different types of trainers available and the pros and cons of each as well as other options for indoor cycling that don't involve spending long hours alone in your basement.

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere chances are you spend the majority of the winter months with your bike on some kind of trainer.   There is something out there for every budget.  I'm going to start with the pricier options first.

Electronic Trainers (a.k.a "Smart Trainers")

For the longest time the Computrainer was the be all and end all to indoor cycling training (it came out in 1986!) and it's still the most widely used system in most indoor group cycling facilities.   This device essentially simulates riding outside.  In the most basic sense, a Computrainer is a trainer (with a flywheel) that is connected to a software program.  You have the option to ride one of the many courses in the Computrainer database or you can chose to ride in ERG mode which, according to the Trainer Road web site is "like loosening your grip on the reins of the horse you're riding.  You basically give control to your trainer/horse and simply ride."  Erg mode sets the resistance for you and it's based on your FTP so you need to know that number before you start to ride. If you choose to ride a course, you don't need to know your FTP, you can just ride.  The Computrainer will give you power, speed and cadence (if you have the optional cadence puck).  It won't give you heart rate and since that is something I always train with, I wear my Garmin, set on indoor cycling mode.

Computrainer

 There are other electronic / computerized trainer options available now.  Ones that are compatible with MAC, which is kind of a big peeve of mine with the Computrainer.   It's P.C compatible only.

The other two popular options are the Wahoo KICKR and the Cycle Ops Power Beam Pro.  I know a few people who have the KICKR and really like it.   The interesting thing about the KICKR is the fact that you don't use your back wheel on this trainer.  You take it off and the bike gets mounted on the gearing of the trainer.  This saves you from the annoyance of having to put a trainer tire on your back wheel so you don't burn through a good tire.

Pricing:  ranges from $1200 - $2000 depending on the model and accessories you choose.  The KICKR is the cheapest of the three but that's still a fair bit of money to spend on a trainer.

Pros:  Simulates riding outside, ability to train with power without having to purchase a power meter, really quiet

Cons:  Price and if you're a MAC lover and want a Computrainer, be prepared to factor the cost of a P.C. into the price.  With the KICKR you have to remove your back wheel to use it.  There are several other electronic trainers on the market, these are the three that I'm familiar with.

DC Rainmaker did an excellent comparison chart of all the electronic trainers he's reviewed.  You can read it here.

Manual Trainers (a.k.a "Dumb Trainers")

By manual I mean powered strictly by you - it's not hooked up to a computer (although with some trainers there is the option to ride online programs, which I will discuss later).

There are 3 types of "manual" trainers:  fluid trainers, mag trainers and rollers

1) Fluid trainer:  A fluid trainer uses fluid to build resistance against the wheel of your bike.  A fluid trainer requires a bit of a warm up period to get the fluid moving so when you first start riding it generally feels a bit easier.   The fluid becomes harder to push through the harder you pedal.  Fluid trainers generally give a more road like feel than a mag trainer.

Pros:  quiet, reliable, cost
Cons:  can't ride with power (unless you have a meter on your bike already), can't ride courses unless you're hooked up to a training app, can be prone to leaking due to expansion and contraction of fluid when heated.

Cost:  between $300-$600 

Kurt Kinetic Fluid Trainer

2) Mag Trainer:  These trainers use the repelling force of similar poles of magnets to create resistance.  Magnets are placed in a configuration that exploits their ability to repel each other, and that is what creates the work load for the rider.

Pros:  Cost, quiet
Cons:  resistance has an upper limit, prone to breaking, can't ride with power (unless you have a meter on your bike already), can't ride courses unless you're hooked up to a training app

Cost:  between $200-$400

3)  Rollers:  These are going to be the most challenging to use of all the trainers listed.   Rollers are just that:  a frame that has 3 rollers attached horizontally into a frame.  Usually one at the front and two at the back.

Your bike doesn't mount into anything so this is like riding on the road except you're not moving forward.  Riding rollers requires balance and concentration.  There is no zoning out on these things.  If you want to improve your core stability while on the bike, these are what you want.

By placing magnets in a configuration that exploits the magnets ability to repel each other, Mag trainers create a workload for the cyclist. - See more at: http://www.bikehacks.com/bikehacks/2011/02/bike-trainers.html#sthash.53Ya2FRd.dpuf

By placing magnets in a configuration that exploits the magnets ability to repel each other, Mag trainers create a workload for the cyclist. - See more at: http://www.bikehacks.com/bikehacks/2011/02/bike-trainers.html#sthash.53Ya2FRd.dpuf

By placing magnets in a configuration that exploits the magnets ability to repel each other, Mag trainers create a workload for the cyclist. - See more at: http://www.bikehacks.com/bikehacks/2011/02/bike-trainers.html#sthash.53Ya2FRd.dpuf

Pros:  cost, improve balance & pedaling efficiency
Cons:  difficulty of use, potential for injury if you fall off, mad balance skills required

Cost:  usually between $200-$400 but there are a couple of newer options that are around $900

Trainer Apps:

This is a whole new category of awesomeness that has become available to the basement bound masses.  One of the big draws is that they can provide a social aspect to a relatively solitary activity.  These have really come into their own in the last couple of years and there are SO many out there with so many different features and costs, it's difficult to know where to begin.  Thankfully there's DC Rainmaker, who actually took the time to delve into 20 different apps and what each one offers.  You can read that article here.   The ones I see a lot of people using are ZWIFT and Trainer Road.  I have yet to try either of them out but will probably give both of them a test run at some point this winter.

Cost: around $10/month

Indoor Group Cycling:

I'm not talking about spinning.  Spinning has it's place but if you're a triathlete or a cyclist, nothing beats the comfort of your own bike.  Enter the Indoor Group Ride.  People have been getting together to train in garages and basements for ages.  Some entrepreneurial folks took notice of that and started creating specific places that you could go with your bike and ride with like minded people.  99.9% of this type of group cycling is done on your own bike on a Computrainer.  Some places will put up a course and you ride it for the duration of the class.  Others will have a specific workout that you do and others look to the long term and design a program that provides you with a periodized training plan.  There are a few places that I know of in Toronto that offer these types of group cycling classes. 

West End:  Watts Up Cycling 
I'm currently testing the Watts Up Home Cycling program and will review that in a week or so. 

East End: Gears Leaside

Personally I'd rather have some company for a 2 hour ride vs. sitting in front of the TV in my basement.  That's one of the reasons these classes have become so popular.

Cost:  $40/class to $300+ / a month depending on how many times a week you want to ride.

With so many options for indoor cycling these days, there is bound to be something that works for you.  Many of these trainers can be found used through your local classifieds, tri group or ebay.  My hubby got his Computrainer on ebay at a fraction of what it would have cost.  So it pays to look around!

Next months Tri Talk Tuesday will be on December 7th and the theme is Christmas gifts for the triathlete in your life (a.k.a things to put on your Christmas list!)

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Tri Talk Tuesday - OFF SEASON

 Welcome back Tri Talk Tuesday peeps!  We're now back to monthly posts since most of us are heading into our off season.  Which is why Courtney, Cynthia and I thought it would be great to chat about the Off Season.   So, that's what today's theme is!

The off season is different for everyone.  Some people take a few weeks off, some people take a few months off.  The length of time I take off depends on how much I've raced and when my first race of the following year is.  I haven't raced as much as normal this year and I have some things I need to work on before I start ramping things up for 2016 so, I'm going to walk you through my off season plans for this year.

I have one race left on the calendar this year and that is the Scotiabank Half Marathon.  Once that race is done, my off season officially starts.   Normally after a half marathon I'll take a week off running and then gradually ease back into regular running the week after.  This year, I plan on taking 3-4 weeks off running completely.  I had a lot of knee problems and other issues that I've been working through all year so I want to give my body a break from the pounding.

What am I going to do in it's place you may wonder?  This is what I've mapped out.

Week One Post Scotia:

Swimming, yoga, massage.   There will be some running on the Saturday after Scotia as I am a Mizuno Run bird at the Toronto Women's 8km.

Week Two Post Scotia:

Swimming, yoga, strength training & a re-introduction to my basement pain cave & computrainer.

Week Three Post Scotia:

Same as above with a focus on cycling drills.

Week Four Post Scotia:

Same as above with the re-introduction of running.  Short easy runs, focusing on form and drill work.  That will probably be what the majority of my off season looks like.  I'll start to build my volume up again in mid December but for a good two months, I'll be keeping things short, sweet and easy.

The off season is also a great time to reflect on your season and focus on things you would like to improve on for next season.   I have a few things I need to work on.

1) Improve my flexibility and my strength and really get that mind body connection when it comes to certain muscle groups that haven't been working the way they should be.  I've finally recruited my glutes for the most part but my hips still need a bit more stability.  My core is a lot stronger but I need loosen up my t-spine to help with my rotation when I'm swimming and I need to learn to engage my lats more.

2)  Find some more power on the bike.  I was catching glimpses of it this year so I know it's possible.   I think with a focus on some basic form and pedal stroke work, I can find that power.  I also need to tweak my bike fit a bit so that should help.

3) Work on my running form.  I did this at the start of the year and found it helpful.  Everything went sideways when I started training for Eagleman and my form work took a back seat.  This is the time of year to make that part of my routine.

4) Work on my mental game in the water.  I need to get comfortable being uncomfortable in open water.   A lot of it has to do with breathing and some of it has to do with the fact that I'm a bit of a headcase.  I think the two things kind of go hand in hand in terms of trying to fix.  I may actually enlist the help of a sports psychologist to start and go from there.

So that's what my 2015 Off Season looks like.  Head on over to the link up and check out all the other Off Season posts.  Next months topic will be cycling training.  I'll be talking about specific workouts you can do indoors to work building strength so come back for that on November 3rd!

Tell me what your off season looks like!

An InLinkz Link-up

Tri Talk Tuesday - A little R & R

Well Hello September, how did you get here so darn quickly?!?  I've just gotten back from a whirl wind weekend in Mont Tremblant, checking out the 70.3 Course.  I will tell you one thing - I've got some hard work ahead of me if I want to do well.  But I'm GAME.   For now I need to recover from the beatdown I put on my body over the weekend.  Which is perfect timing for today's Tri Talk Tuesday post.  Today Courtney, Cynthia and I are chatting about rest and recovery, two things that are just as important as putting in the miles.  If you don't get adequate amounts of either, all those miles you're putting in are pointless.

The older I get the more important both of these things have become.  A few years ago, I used to be able to plow through back to back hard workouts.  This year I've noticed that it's harder for me to do so.  Normally I take one day off a week.  This year there have been a few weeks that I've actually taken 2 days off.  Recovery is different for everyone but generally the younger you are, the faster you recover.  Men also recover faster than women (how is that fair?!?!).

After a goal race, I usually take a week off.   I may swim to help deal with muscle soreness, if I feel like getting up.  But the week is usually about rest and maybe a bit of active recovery.  It all depends on the distance of the race and how my body feels.   The other thing I also do in the week after a race is go for a massage.   Massage can help speed up the recovery process by flushing out the remaining lactic acid in your legs and getting the blood flowing.  I also make sure I hydrate well and eat something with protein and carbs in it to help start the repair process and replenish glycogen stores.  I've been using Genuine Health's ActiveRecover a lot after races and hard workouts and it's been nothing short of amazing.

The other important piece to the training puzzle is sleep.  And according to this article, it's something that we don't get enough of.  Sleep is where the magic happens.  It's where your hours of training turn into results.   7.5-9 hours a night is the target zone for most people.  Sadly most of us are lucky if we get 7 hours a night.  I usually get about 7 - 7.5 hours during the week.  Sometimes 8 if I'm lucky.  But because I'm getting up anywhere between 4:15-5:00 am, that means I'm in bed by 9:00-9:15 pm which means that if I've got an evening workout to do, I have to get it done, eat, shower and go right to bed, there isn't time for any TV watching or sitting around.   I've actually started tracking my sleep, especially after hard efforts.  This was after Sundays hard ride.  I was exhausted so I went to bed just before 9:00 pm.  This is also an exception because I didn't have to get up to go anywhere.

This is a bit more realistic in terms of time.    Gotta love the Garmin 920xt! 

Recovery is different for everyone.  It's almost as individual as a training plan but it's also something we all need.  The important thing with recovery is to listen to your body.  Your mind may be willing to go back out and get to work but sometimes your body takes a while to catch up.  If you're still feeling lethargic after your scheduled down time, you probably need a bit more time off.  Learning to take it when you need it seems to be difficult for most triathletes and I am no exception.  It's taken me several years to figure this out.  But, better late than never, right?

How much sleep to you get a night?   What are your recovery strategies?

Now that triathlon season is over for the majority of us folks in North America, Tri Talk Tuesday will be returning to it's monthly format.  The next link up will be on Tuesday October 6th and we'll be talking about the Off Season.

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Tri Talk Tuesday - Race Day Routine

Oh HEY!  It's Tuesday and you know what that means???  It's time for Tri Talk Tuesday!  Today is the day us Tri Geeks get together and chat about all things triathlon related.  Today my lovely co-hosts, Courtney & Cynthia and I are chatting about our race day routines and various tips and tricks that we may use.  I've chosen to outline my race morning routine. 

If you look at the routine of any successful athlete,  I think one of the first things you'd notice is the consistency.   Once they find something that works for them, they stick to it.  That goes from how they train, to what they eat, to how they prepare for race day.   The key to a successful race day is to stick to your plan and what works for YOU.

My race day routine doesn't vary too much, regardless of the distance I'm tackling.  The only thing that really changes is what I pack in my transition bag.   If it's a short course race vs. a long course race, my running shoes will be different and I will pack socks if it's long course.  Since I'm getting old and forgetful,  I've started packing my bag the night BEFORE a race and then, because I have the memory span of a goldfish, I check it again in the morning.

Night Before:

Make up my race day hydration and put it in the fridge. Prep my breakfast.  Check my bike tires and inflate if necessary.  Pack up my handy Zoot transition bag with running shoes, socks (if using) cycling shoes, helmet, sunglasses, wetsuit, goggles and a change of clothes.  I always leave certain items in my transition bag because I know I'll always need / use them and that way I won't forget to pack them on race day.

• Body glide
• Deoderant
• Wet Wipes
• Gels / bars 
• Race belt

Pre-Race:

Breakfast:  usually overnight oats with chia, coconut flakes, almond milk + some sliced banana and maple syrup + a glass of water.   I give myself ample time for my body to wake up and clear itself out, ha ha.  We usually grab coffee en route to the race site.  Unless it's Europe then we have time for a stay home leisurely morning coffee ha ha.

Race Site:

If it's a short distance race, then I'm racking my bike when I get there.  If it's a half Ironman, then my bike is racked already and all I need to do is lay out my gear in transition.  Once I've racked my bike, I check my tires again.  I check my brakes because sometimes they rub on my race wheels.  I then lay out my transition mat.  Lastly I put my hydration in my aero bottle, put my race day nutrition in my bento box, if it fits.  If not, I put some in my bento box and lay the rest beside my cycling & running shoes so I know to grab it when I go out for each leg.  Once all of that is done, I take a look around transition to see what's around my rack.  I look at where the bike & run exits are so I know which way to run after each leg.

Once my transition area is set up, I get into my wetsuit and do a swim warm up.  The longer the warmup the better for me.  I do some easy swimming, then I pick up the pace to get my heart rate up, then I go back to easy swimming.  If I have a lot of time to kill before my wave goes off, I try to stay in the water as long as possible, especially if it's on the cool side.  Then it's not so much of shock when I start swimming.

Post Race:

This is one area that I'm trying to get better at.  When I get home, I usually have a recovery drink.  I really like Genuine Health's Active Recover.  When you mix it with vanilla almond milk, it tastes like a creamsicle.  I've gotten MUCH better at post race stretching and foam rolling.  After I got home and showered from Sunday's race, I immediately got on the foam roller for a few minutes.  Later on that day I stretched and foam rolled again.   I usually try to have an epsom salt bath if possible as well.  I find that helps make me feel a bit better.  I also tend to sleep better afterwards.

So there you have it.  That's my race day routine!  Head on over to the link up and check out all the other posts.

Join us again on September 8th for our next Tri Talk Tuesday.  We'll be talking rest and recovery!

An InLinkz Link-up

Tri Talk Tuesday - These Are A Few of My Favourite Things!

Hey Hey Hey...it's TRI TALK TUESDAY!  I'm super excited for today's post because Cynthia, Courtney and I are talking about our favourite triathlon things.  This is anything triathlon related - it could be your favourite race, your favourite running shoe, whatever.  I love posts like these because they inevitably introduce me to new products.  Just what every triathlete needs...MORE things to add to their "I want" list, ha ha.

There are lots of things I own that I like and that serve me well, but there are only a few that I absolutely LOVE and wouldn't want to train without them.  I also threw a race in there because why not?  These are my FAB FOUR.

1.  My Garmin 920xt.  I have to admit, I have a love / hate relationship with my Garmin stuff.  When it works, it works REALLY well.  But when it doesn't...it's a failure of epic proportions.  They've gotten a bit better at keeping software updated to fix glitches.  I found the 920 to be a bit glitchy (the screen would freeze a LOT) when I first got it but this latest software update seems to have fixed the issues.  I love how connected this machine is.  I just recently paired it to my iphone and now I get text messages and other alerts ON MY GARMIN.  Mind=blown.   And I can instantly upload my workout to the Garmin Connect app via Bluetooth.  No more waiting until I get home, hoping that the wifi automatically connects.   And no more connecting it to my laptop and hoping it syncs.  I've also just started using it to track my sleep.  Yes, it means I have to wear it to bed but I don't really notice it.   I don't even think I've scratched the surface of what this piece of equipment is capable of!

Clearly I need to sleep a little deeper, ha ha

2.  My Cervelo P3.  I've had Tom Sawyer for a year now and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this bike.  I had a 7 year old Scott Plasma Contessa that was wonderful but wasn't suited to my riding abilities any longer.  I needed something responsive and light.  G had gotten a P3 the year before and I was very envious.  I probably should have done the same thing at the time but we were going to Europe and I didn't want to spend the money on a new bike.  Looking back I probably could have used the extra gears, ha ha.  But I waited a year and ended up getting the same bike with race wheels for a really good deal.  I've logged some serious km's on this bike over the last year.  My first ride on it was my very first stand alone time trial and I ended up in 3rd place overall, averaging just over 36kph.  I knew right then and there that was money well spent.

3.  IM Luxembourg 70.3:  Maybe because this was my first Ironman branded half, and maybe because it was in Europe...but I absolutely LOVED this race.  If money was no issue, I'd go back and race it again in a heartbeat.  For a race that we picked totally randomly, it suited my abilities perfectly.  The swim was in a narrow river, which helped keep me calm (always close to shore) the bike was 50% flat and 50% rolling hills with 2 good climbs.  The run was 3 loops (I love multiple looped courses) and it was also flat.  And there were lots of spectators on the run course which always makes it better because I draw a lot of energy from people cheering - it really gives me a boost.  It's also the only course on the Ironman circuit that goes into 3 different countries.  You swim in the Moselle River, on one side is Luxembourg, on the other side is Germany.  If you swim wide enough in the swim, like I did, you cross the border, ha ha.  About 10km of the bike course goes through France.   It was one of the coolest races I've done.  And Luxembourg is absolutely stunning.  One more reason to go back.  Look at how happy I was coming down the finishing chute!

4.  My Mizuno Wave Sayonara 3's:  These are a brand new addition to my shoe rotation as they are a really new shoe.  I wore the original Sayonara's and LOVED the responsiveness of them but I found that the ride was really firm especially if you are heavy on your feet like I am (I may be small but I'm not light on my feet).  After racing a half marathon in them, my feet actually hurt.  They were sore.  But I could go REALLY fast in them.  Mizuno has now beefed them up a bit.  There is more cushioning through the mid-foot but they are still super light and responsive.  I'm pretty confident I could race a marathon in these babies with no issues where as before I'd use my Sayonaras for a half marathon or shorter and then I'd use my Wave Riders for anything longer.

Tell me a few of your favourite things!

And of course, don't forget to check out the link up for even more favourites!

An InLinkz Link-up

Tri Talk Tuesday - Training in the Heat

Summer is here in full force in the GTA.  This past weekend was a scorcher and the rest of this week looks like it's going to be even hotter.  Where were these temps in June when I was training for Eagleman?  If I had weather like this leading up to the race, I probably would have been fine on race day.   But I digress.  It is perfect timing for our Tri Talk Tuesday link up though!  Today Courtney, Cynthia and I are talking about training in the heat.

Training in the heat is hard enough, add in humidity and that's where things get really ugly.  Especially when you're in a big city as the air quality usually takes a nose dive when the humidity gets too high.  Everyone's tolerance is different so what might be too hot and humid for one person might be tolerable for another.  The key is to know your body and play it smart.  That being said, it sucks to run inside on a treadmill when the sun is shining.  So, here are a few tips to help you deal with the heat.

1.  Adjust your expectations / pacing.  This is the main piece of advice I give to my athletes when running in the heat.  There are physiological changes that happen to your body when training in the heat.  You sweat more, which can lead to dehydration.  Your heart rate is also becomes elevated in the heat.  This elevation generally means that what may normally feel like an easy pace for you becomes a bit harder.   This becomes even more apparent when attempting speed work in the heat.   Listen to your body and don't be afraid to back things off.  Most importantly, don't beat yourself up over how hard the workout felt or how slow you were.  The heat does that.   A better tactic would be to switch to perceived effort vs. pace.   If the workout is a pace based workout and you really want to hit your paces, head to a nicely air conditioned gym and get it done on the treadmill.

2.  Stay hydrated.  If you're planning on working out in the evening this may mean increasing fluid intake overall during the day so you don't start your run dehydrated.  Or, it may mean you need to bring an electrolyte drink with you depending on the length and intensity of your workout.  For a moderate intensity workout that is under an hour, you should be fine with water.  If it's going to be longer than an hour, or if you're a heavy sweater, bring an electrolyte drink.  If I'm doing any sort of high intensity workout in the heat, I always bring a bottle of either Nuun or Gu Brew, even if it's only a 30-40 minute workout.  For longer efforts, especially on the bike, I use Salt Stick tablets.  Compared to my husband, I'm not the saltiest sweater but I still have a fair bit of salt on me after a longer race.  Even more so if it's a hot one.

3.  Go early or go late.  This may not be the most ideal situation but if you want to do your workout outside and the forecast is brutal, you may want to look at either getting up really early before the sun is up or heading out after the sun sets.  Personally I'd take the morning.  I like having my workout done before my day starts.  Plus you get to see the sun rise.

4.  Listen to your body.  Pushing yourself in the heat can be dangerous, especially if you're not used to it.  Even if you are, you can still suffer heat related health issues so always err on the side of caution.  If you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded, it's time to pull the pin.  Getting that workout in isn't worth compromising your health. 

Do you have any other hot weather training tips? 

I'm looking forward to checking out all
the other posts given the scorching weather we're experiencing now!

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A Weekend of Races

It only seems like yesterday that the Pan Am games started and now they're over.  As is the Tour de France.   How is it that it's almost the end of July already?  Time is flying by way too quickly these days.  Thankfully we have a bit of down time coming up this weekend.  On Friday morning we're off to Newfoundland for a friends wedding.  I'm really looking forward to that as I've never been to Newfoundland.  We're going to be there for 5 days which will be a nice little break.   Looks like I'm going to have to pack some warmer clothes though.  Apparently they didn't get the memo that it's summer.

At least it will be nice for running!

Speaking of running, I think my sciatic issues are almost sorted out.  I ran on Saturday and raced yesterday and while both runs weren't awesome, I didn't have the pain I usually have so that is a huge plus.  I'm off to see the osteopath again tomorrow so hopefully with a few more treatments, I'm back to normal.  I really need to get back to regularly scheduled running.  I can count on one hand the number of times I've run this month and it's really done a number on my speed.  But I know that will come back once I make a concerted effort to work on it.

This week wasn't too bad work wise but my plans to get to the gym twice didn't happen.  I made it once but that was it.  I went on Monday and I think it fried my legs because I had nothing in them for my Tuesday morning ride with Morning Glory.  I'm starting from the basics once again.  I've decided that for now I'm going to stick with body weight stuff until my race season is over and then I'll get back to heavier lifting and working on building my power back up.  I think that will be helpful for both my cycling and running next year.

Speaking of cycling, G and I went out to watch the men's and women's Pan Am road races on the weekend.  Now THAT was pretty freaking awesome.  Part of the course was a loop that I've done with Morning Glory so it was amazing to see these guys just fly up the climb that I grind up.  The Canadian women did really well - we got Gold and Bronze and we got a Bronze in the men's road race.   Canada did really well overall and broke the previous Pan Am medal count record with 217 medals, second to the U.S who had 265 medals.

I'm not sure spending all afternoon on our feet in the sun was the best thing for our race on Sunday but it's not every day you get the opportunity to watch races like this on your home soil.  We skipped our long ride so we could sleep in a bit and then make our way out to High Park.  Best. decision.  ever.

With two rest days this week and a low volume Saturday, my sweat equity time was quite low.  Although what I lacked in time, I made up for in effort that's for sure.  This is how things went down last week:

Monday:  2700m swim + 40 minute strength workout
Tuesday:  33km bike, followed by a 4.75km run  shuffle
Wednesday:  2300m swim
Thursday:  OFF - long day at work
Friday:  OFF:  had planned on swimming but slept in
Saturday:  8km run
Sunday:  RACE:  750m swim 30km bike, 7.5km run.  Race report to follow this week, I swear.

Total time:  6h 6 minutes.  Much lower volume week but most of my activities were high intensity as evidenced by my Training Stress Score in Training Peaks.  This week will have less high intensity work but more volume.  At least that's the goal.  I know once we get to Newfoundland, the only thing I'll be doing there is running, weight training, walking around and eating copious amounts of seafood.  As one does when they're on the East coast.

And....tomorrow is Tri Talk Tuesday and we're talking about hot weather training, which is perfect timing as Toronto is entering a heat wave.   Swing by tomorrow to add your post to the link up!

Happy Monday! 

Tri Talk Tuesday - Getting Aero

Hello Triathlon Peeps!  It's another edition of Tri Talk Tuesday.  Join myself and my co-hosts Courtney of the Tri Girl Chronicles and Cynthia from You Signed up for What? as we chat about all things triathlon related.  Today's topic is all about getting "aero".

Being aero doesn't just apply to the bike.  It can apply to all disciplines in triathlon.  Being aero is all about reducing drag.  The less drag you have the faster you can go.  Reducing drag also means you don't have to work as hard to move forward so it helps conserve energy.  A wetsuit makes you more "aero" as it puts you in the most optimal swim position in the water and it covers your clothes, which reduces drag, wearing tight fitting clothes on the run also helps with that as you don't have things blowing in the wind.  All of those things help but since the bike leg is the biggest component of a triathlon and the one most affected by things like wind, it stands to reason that there have been many inventions over the last few decades that have focused on getting the bike and the rider as aerodynamic as possible.

Here are 5 ways to get more aerodynamic on your bike.  Unfortunately most of them are pricey.  But good technology ain't cheap.  I'll start from the least expensive to the most expensive.

 1. Aero bars.  If you're on a tri bike then you don't need to worry, your bike came with these.  But if you're on a road bike, then these would be a worthwhile investment.  It will give you the opportunity to tuck into the wind vs. sitting upright in the wind.  It makes a big difference in the amount of effort you're putting out.  All for about $200.

2.  Aero Helmet:   I'm pretty that at event the smallest triathlon, there will be at least ONE person wearing one of these on the bike.  You know, the pointy helmets that make you look like a praying mantis?  Well, good news, they no longer have to be pointy looking!  Aero helmets these days are getting rounder.  Giro, Kask and POC have made some good ones that don't make you look like an alien. 

Source

These can run you anywhere from $250-$350.  Many people have said that an aero helmet gives you the most bang for your buck.

3.  Clothing.  If you watch the riders in the Tour, they are almost all wearing these one piece skin suit type outfits now, not just for the Time Trials but during the race itself.  Cycling jerseys are no longer these semi fitted tops that go over bib shorts.  This seems to be the way of the future for the pros:

Source

If you've seen Lionel Sanders race at all, you've also seen him wearing one of these.  Apparently covering up your shoulders and the top of your arms reduces your drag coefficient ever more.  Who knew?  These retail for about $350.  How much time will it save you?  I'm not really sure but you'll look pretty bad ass. 

4.  Bike Fit:   Making changes to your bike fit can also help you to get more aero.  Watching the pros race I'm always amazed at how aerodynamic they look on the bike.  Their backs are fairly flat, and their position is quite low at the front end - they're tucked as much as they can be.  I don't know about you but I can't bend that way.  If I could, I'd slam those bars as low as possible.  If you're lucky enough to be really flexible, especially in the hip, lower back and hip flexor area, then you might want to look at lowering the height of your your aerobars.  Talk to your bike fitter and see what they think is possible.  You may try it and not like it.  In the end for us age groupers, it's all about what our bodies will let us do.  Especially for us over 40 people.   Bike fits range anywhere from $250-$500 depending on the type of fit.

5.  Wheels:  These are the BIG ticket items.   But they can also help you pick up 1-2 kilometers an hour so the dividends are also pretty decent.   Even just forking out the $$ for a more aero front wheel will help.  Wheels come in a variety of different depths depending on how aerodynamic you want to get.  The deeper the rim, the more aero the wheel.  Thus disc wheels are considered to be the most aerodynamic wheels as long as you're not dealing with crosswinds.  Then they just become dangerous.  A decent carbon wheel set (front & back) usually starts around $2400 and goes up from there.  I saw a Campagnolo wheel set for $3300.  You could buy a decent bike for that price!   A front wheel on it's own usually starts around $700.  There are plenty of second hand wheels on the market as well so if you know what you're looking for, you can get yourself a pretty good deal.   And of course there is the "cool" factor.  Triathletes are always checking out gear.  I know when I roll into transition, I"m always ogling bikes, especially ones that are totally done up. 

The ever popular Zipp 404's

A disc wheel.  Source

Do you have anything else you'd add to this list?   What item would you choose to spend your money on?

Join us every other Tuesday to chat about all things Triathlon related!  The next Tri Talk Tuesday is Tuesday July 28th and we'll be talking about hot weather training. 

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Tri Talk Tuesday: Why I Love Wetsuits

Happy Tuesday Triathlete Peeps!  It's Tri Talk Tuesday so that means I get to geek out with my fellow triathletes and talk about all things tri related.   My lovely co-hosts, Cynthia at You Signed Up for What and Courtney at the Tri Girl Chronicles are going to be chatting about wetsuits a.k.a my safety blanket for when I'm open water swimming, ha ha.

Living in the Great White North, it's not often that I swim without a wetsuit.  Ok, how about never.  Up until Eagleman, I had never done an open water swim without a wetsuit.  I was completely petrified about swimming without a wetsuit.  But, looking back, it wasn't that bad.   However, if I had the choice, I'd always choose to wear a wetsuit and here's why:

1.  Increased buoyancy.   It is almost impossible to stay under water in a wetsuit, which is great if you get panicky and need to take a break to catch your breath.  You can roll over onto your back and float with little effort.  Try doing that without one.  You'll tire out fairly quickly.

2.  Warmth.   Most of the time, the water in Canada is fairly cool.  So wearing a wetsuit keeps you warm.  USAT and Triathlon Ontario have rules about water temperature and wetsuits.   I'm pretty sure that the rules are the same for temperature guidelines.  The rules state that anything 78 degrees F (25 degrees Celsius) and under you are able to wear a wetsuit.  Most bodies of water here don't get that warm unless they're small.  If it's between 79 and 84 degrees you can wear a wetsuit but you won't be eligible for any sort of awards.  If it's over 85 degrees wetsuits are prohibited.  The water at Eagleman was 80 degrees F on race morning and I couldn't imagine wearing a wetsuit in that no matter how freaked out I was without one.  It was warm.  In most of the lakes and rivers I swim in here, the temperatures don't get much above 72-74 degrees F.

3.  Speed.  This is the BIG plus for wetsuits.  A wetsuit puts your body in the most optimal position and it's a smooth uniform surface with a very low drag co-efficient.  If you're swimming in your tri suit or whatever you may be racing in, there are pockets, a neckline etc - all places that water can get into and cause drag.  A wetsuit generally fits tight so it eliminates this sort of drag.  I swim much faster in a wetsuit than I do without.  Case in point, last year at Luxembourg 70.3 I swam 34 minutes for 1.9k in a wetsuit.  This year at Eagleman, I swam 42 minutes for the same distance without a wetsuit (although I did have a swim skin on).  Granted, there was a pretty strong current as well but I still think I would have been about 37-38 minutes if we didn't have the current. 

Those are the main reasons I love swimming in a wetsuit.  In terms of wetsuits themselves, you have a few different options in terms of style;  long sleeve, sleeveless and two piece.  The two piece ones are less common but they are out there!   When wetsuit shopping, be prepared to SWEAT.  Getting in and out of one is not easy.  If possible, bring what you'd race in with you and try it on underneath so you really get a feel for how it fits.

Do you prefer to swim with a wetsuit or without?  

Head on over to the link up and check out the rest of the Tri Talk Tuesday posts!  And tune in two weeks from now when we talk about "getting aero".  Wheeee!

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Tri Talk Tuesday - Transitions

Happy Tuesday!  Here were are, the first week of JUNE already.  I've got my first race of the season this Saturday and then Eagleman is the following weekend.  GULP.   I have all sorts of mixed feelings about that...but that's another post entirely.  Anyway, on to the FUN stuff!  Today is Tri Talk Tuesday and Cynthia, Courtney and I are talking about Transitions.   Transitions are the perfect place to regroup, catch your breath or, make up speed.  There are so many things to remember to do when you're in transition, it can be incredibly overwhelming.  Here are my top 5 tips for smooth transitions.  I have a few more in this post as well!

1.  Remember where you racked your bike.  I kid you not.  It's like trying to remember where you parked at the mall except there aren't any pillars with letters or numbers on them. You are going to be disoriented when you get out of the swim so you'll need to get your bearings with visual cues.  I always try to remember the numbers that are posted at the end of the rack my bike is on. 

2.  Lay everything you need out in the order that you'll need it.   Bike shoes first (velcro straps open), helmet either sitting on top of your bike shoes or sitting on your aerobars (strap unclipped), sunglasses sitting inside your helmet.  Running shoes & socks (if you wear them) next.  Think about getting race laces for your running shoes so you're not fiddling with trying to tie up laces.  All you need to do is pull them on and you're good to go.

How I lay out my transition stuff.  My cycling shoes usually have the velcro UNDONE.

This was my transition set up for IronGirl last year.

 3.  Practice getting in and out of your wetsuit.  It's not easy to wriggle out of wet rubber so the more practice you have, the easier it will be.  T1 of my first ever triathlon was 4 minutes because I couldn't get out of my wetsuit.  I've gotten pretty good at it over the years.  I still think I could be a little bit faster but I'm not willing to chop anything off my $700 wetsuit.  That's how the pros get in and out of their suits so quickly - the cut the sleeves and the legs a bit so the opening is bigger.   I even made a handy video, ha ha.  Sorry about the sound....

4.  Take a walk through.  Know where the bike exit is and the run exit.  I've been lost in transition because I didn't take the time before the race to familiarize myself with where the exits were.  When every second counts, the last thing I want is to be running circles around transition.   

5.  BREATHE.  It seems so simple.  So logical but I know when I'm rushing, I don't always take the time to calm my self down and breathe.  When I do that I'm much more efficient at getting everything done quickly. 

What else would you add to the list?

Head on over to the link up to check out all the other posts or post your own!

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T is for T-A-P-E-R

Wow, June 1st already.  13 days till Eagleman.  We did our last big workout yesterday in the pouring rain.  It was brutal.  If Eagleman ends up being 10 degrees and rainy, we'll be ready!   Well, as long as I get my back / sciatic nerve issues sorted out.   I had a decent ride yesterday but there was sciatic pain for most of it.  My run was awful.  I had sciatic pain for the entire run.  I had to stop and stretch twice and it got so bad in the 8km that I ran, that I ended up favouring my right leg so my left leg did all the work and started to cramp up by about 7km.  I am not going to be able to run a half marathon like that.  No way.  I have to get this sorted out ASAP.

My back and sciatic nerve bothered me all week long so I didn't get the volume in that I was hoping for.  I still managed to nail a couple of solid workouts though so that's a plus.  I also got some fit adjustments done to my bike and that seems to have helped my back immensely.  My power also seems to be back so that's good.  I'd like to say things are looking up but I'll wait until I see my chiropractor tomorrow for the verdict on this nerve pain.

I've got my first race of the season this Saturday - the Woodstock Sprint.  I don't have high hopes for a race like I had last year.  My running off the bike isn't even remotely close to where it was last year but I'm still going to give 'er.  It will be my first open water swim of the season and I'm actually debating on whether or not to use my new wetsuit.  I haven't been able to get in open water yet to try it out and the last thing I want to do is try it out for the first time in a race! I need to be comfortable as I'm always really apprehensive about the swim as it is.  I don't want to be dealing with breaking in a new wetsuit either.  I may try to get out to the Quarry one morning this week to do a swim, we'll see.

Anyway, this how my last "big" week of training panned out.

Monday:  OFF
Tuesday:  60 minute ride with power ups in the a.m. + a wicked humid 10km tempo in the p.m.

Wednesday:  2100m swim.

Thursday:  60 minute ride with power intervals.  Followed by an absolutely horrible 3km run. 

Friday:  2200m swim

Saturday:  OFF.  We had my aunt's internment at 1:30 and we were out very late the night before so Saturday morning was a write off for any kind of activity.

Sunday:  87km on the bike in the POURING rain and cold, followed by an 8.5km where I saw a coyote.  Yeah, needless to say that km was the fastest of the bunch, ha ha.

That's it.  That's all she wrote.  I feel woefully under prepared for this race, in comparison to last year.  I'm questioning whether this was even a good idea given I've been re-habbing knee problems that have now ballooned into other issues.  I said to G the other day that I haven't felt this broken in a long time.  I'm hoping the taper heals the niggles and that I get this sciatic business sorted out.  I've already accepted the fact that I won't be toeing the line 100% healthy.  But whatever, I think I'm more excited about the facebook group meet up the day before and the fact that I'm finally going to get to meet one of my Tri Talk Tuesday co-hosts!!  Cynthia is also doing the race!  We're going to take over your IG feed on the Saturday, ha ha. 

Speaking of Tri Talk Tuesday, it's that time of the month again!  Tune in tomorrow when we talk about TRANSITIONS! Just in time for race season!

Tri Talk Tuesday: Improving the Run Leg of a Triathlon

It's the first Tuesday of the month so that means another edition of Tri Talk Tuesday!  This month my co-hosts Cynthia and Courtney and I are talking about my favourite leg of the race:  The RUN.  Running is my strength and it's usually where I make up a lot of ground in a triathlon. 

So without further ado, here are my top tips for acing the last leg of the race.

1. CHECK YOUR FORM

The run may be my strength but that does not mean that I am an efficient runner by any stretch.  I've learned this the hard way by pushing and pushing myself only to end up suffering knee issues for the last year and a bit due to my lack of proper run form.  I've been working on rectifying this over the last few months.  While I'm making progress, it is very slow going.  It will probably take a year before my new gait feels normal.  Proper technique will make you faster so it's worth your time to work on it.  Don't know where to start?  Find someone who offers a gait analysis.  It could be a run coach or a physiotherapist or sports doc.  Get in front of a camera, have someone asses your gait and most importantly, help you fix it.  I've been working on my form for the last few months and I've found that not only is it making me a faster runner, I'm more comfortable running off the bike.  I'm not sure if it's because I'm using my glutes and hamstrings more and not relying so much on my quads but whatever it may be, I think making sure you have good form is of utmost importance.


2.  BRICKIN'  IT

Running off the bike is no easy feat.  Your legs always feel like crap and it takes a while for you to find your stride.  If you want to shorten the time it takes for you to get into a groove, incorporate a weekly brick into your training.  What is a brick you ask?  It's a ride followed immediately by a run. As I get closer to race day, these workouts are the meat and potatoes of my training.  I will do a shorter, high intensity ride followed by a short high intensity run during the week and then on the weekend I will do what I call an endurance brick, which is a longer ride followed by a longer run.  If you're racing a 70.3 or an Ironman these longer workouts are a great time to practice your race day fueling strategy.  How you fare on the run leg of the race will be directly impacted by how well you fuel on the bike and how hard you go.  Pace yourself, especially if you're going long.  It only takes one bonk to know that you don't ever want to go down that road again. 

3.   IMPROVING YOUR CADENCE

Measuring your cadence isn't just for the bike.  The faster your turnover is, the less time you spend smashing your feet on the ground.  This is a good thing because it will help you avoid impact related injuries.   It will also help you get faster.  How do you measure that?  Well, if you're lucky you've got a Garmin 920xt that will tell you.   If you don't have that then what I've done is pick a foot and count the number of times it hits the ground in a minute, then multiply it by two.  The ideal running cadence is around 180 steps per minute.   I'm usually around 177-178 for most of my runs - I'm trying to get to 180 for all my runs but it's tough.  When I'm racing I'm actually mid 180's.   This is some of the data from Saturday's 10km race.

This is pretty self explanatory

Jeff Galloway has a very simple drill that you can do once a week to help you focus on cadence.   Since I've started working on my gait, I've incorporated these drills into my weekly workouts.

What other tips do you have for improving the run leg of a triathlon?  Be sure to check out the other blogs in the link up for more great tips!

We'll be back again on June 2nd, talking about the 4th leg of triathlon - TRANSITIONS.  Woohooo!

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