Slornow and Wannabefaster's Winter Group version 3-CLOSED (Page 18)

Originally posted by slornow

Foam rollers are good but the Trigger Point products are even better. If you want to really get serious about working out a knot in your leg, glutes or hamstrings use a lacrosse ball. Dense, hard and cheap at around $5.00. I use the Trigger Point Quadballer every day and they make a ball that falls between the softness of the tennis ball and the brutality of the lacrosse ball.

I had a bout with PF 10 years or so ago when I was playing alot of tennis. I would freeze water in a 20oz soda bottle and roll my foot on it at night.   

Originally posted by wannabefaster

Speaking of P90X......

I have decided that I have really been ignoring my flexibility/core/strength for too long so I have been adding in 15-20 minutes every other day of strength and flexibility, and boy am I sore. I kept telling myself that all of the exercising was keeping the core strong but I am aching in muscles that I have not thought of in a long time.

Originally posted by wannabefaster

Back to Race Nutrition, which I promised I would post about. I am going to tell what I do and the reasons why and then I would be happy to discuss. What works for me might not work for you. What I am doing now is way, way different than what I did for my first HIM in 2010. Some of it has been trial and error. A lot of it has come from reading what others have used. This is long course--IM/HIM nutrition but it is really time driven so you can adjust for whatever length you think you will be on the course.

Race day morning:

At least 2.5 hours before the race I eat the following:

Oatmeal--two packets of instant oatmeal with raisins added. I use this as my standard because it is easy to take to any race and can be fixed almost anywhere.
Banana, sometimes two. Usually purchased at the race location but sometimes I bring this with me.
Coffee. one to two cups.

I eat this whether I am racing an IM or a Sprint. I want calories in the tank on race morning. (I also eat a bowl of cereal about 30 minutes before just about every morning swim I do and it never bothers me so if I start the race with a little bit of food in my gut it is unlikely to cause me an issue).


In the 90 minutes leading up to the race:

I will drink a 20 ounce water bottle filled with my 'bike nutrition mixture'. My goal is to get this finished 15-30 minutes before I go in the water. In the 20 ounces is around 430 calories with 93 grams of Carbs, 2.5 grams of protein, some caffeine, 635 mg of sodium, 260 mg of potassium, a tiny smidgen of calcium and magnesium. I mix two scoops of a custom Infinit mixture with one packet of Generation UCAN to achieve these numbers.

Usually I can't wait to get in the water because I am 'very well hydrated' at the start of a race.


Swim:

Well, there is no nutrition for me during this phase. Sometimes there is some inadvertent extra hydration that goes on during some of the rougher swims. It happens. I have heard of people stuffing a gel pack in their wetsuit and eating it at the halfway point. I have never seen the need but I'm just sharing.


Bike:

Here is where the nutrition strategy gets important. I don't eat or drink anything in T1. The goal is to get out and get going. I can "eat" while I am moving.

My nutrition strategy is 100% liquids, no solids, no gels, for the entire race. I used to take bars, pretzels, gels, etc. What I found was that taking in solids had me very nauseated and with some diarrhea (sorry to be graphic but IM racing ain't for the weak of stomach) when I got to the run. Since I have switched to all liquids I have not had a GI upset issue or a hydration problem in any race. For an IM race, four bottles of the same mixture outlined above is my total bike nutrition (approximately 1720 calories). I start with two bottles on my bike coming out of T1 and then pick up two more at Special Needs. (In a HIM I would only use two total bottles, in an Olympic, only one).

To calculate nutritional needs on the bike. I use 4-6 calories/kg/hour as my nutritional requirements. For a 70 kg male (me, approximately) that is 280-420 calories per hour. I don't have the reference on that number but I know it is out there and that it works. Where you fall on this spectrum needs to be worked out in training.

So, once I am on the bike I try to suck down an entire bottle (430 calories, remember?) in the first hour. I figure coming out of the swim I am a little behind and need to get some calories in. Once I finish that first bottle I drop it at an aid station and get a water bottle to supplement my hydration--drinking to thirst (at a hot race I will also use the water I pick up at each aid station to douse my jersey, shorts, helmet, etc to aid with evaporative cooling). After the first bottle I try to make each subsequent nutrition bottle last about 1:15. At the half way point at Bike Special Needs I dump everything and pick up two fresh bottles of the same stuff and follow the same plan.

If I drink all four bottles, 1720 calories in 5.5 hours (my projected IM bike split) I will have taken in 313 calories per hour which is on the lower end of the above formula but experience has shown me that this will have me coming off the bike well hydrated, calorically ok and ready to run.


Run:

All liquids.......

I hate carrying stuff with me when I run. I use a Nathan hydration belt for long training runs but I hate it. I don't like how it feels. I hate lugging around an extra pound (or two) of stuff when I am racing. Most of these races have aid stations every mile anyway so I don't feel the need to carry my own stuff at this point.

I go with water as much as I can get and coke every time it is offered. I don't wait for the half way point of the run or anything like that. When coke is available, I grab a dixie cup and down it. I also drink at least one water per aid station if not two. If it is hot I grab a third to pour on me to cool off. I have never figured out my consumption on the run but lets say 30 calories per cup times 16? aid stations, would come out to 480 calories...... More than enough to run the marathon if you have done your job fueling on the bike. I have never felt that nutrition has been a limiter for me on the run since going with this plan. If you really want numbers, you should probably shoot for 2-3 calories/kg/hour on the run. The body just cannot absorb the same levels of calories while running as while biking. If you tried to keep up the 4-6 calories/kg/hour I guarantee that eventually you will end up bloated, nauseated and miserable......

My last two IMs I did not turn in a Run Special Needs bag. I am fueling off the course. I'm not going to change my shoes. At the half way point of the run I am going to just suck it up and finish....... I'm not saying that is what you should do but for me Run SN doesn't offer much.


Post Race:

Goal is to feel good enough to eat within a couple of hours of finishing. Beer. Wings. Poutine in Mont Tremblant......

Everything I take in for the entire race is caffeinated. I am probably going to put myself in to Afib at a race some day. I have never really slept the night after an IM. Whether I am on an IM high or just caffeinated to the gills, it is what I have come to expect.


Questions? Comments?

Like I said, it works for me

Originally posted by 43YORook  Are there other resources to look for swim coaches or am I just such a newbie that I would be fine with the high school kid that teaches the 3-5 year old guppy class on saturday mornings? Or, should I just go flounder around by myself until I can connect with him? Thanks for any thoughts, have a great day. Chris

Originally posted by wannabefaster Back to Race Nutrition, which I promised I would post about. I am going to tell what I do and the reasons why and then I would be happy to discuss. What works for me might not work for you. What I am doing now is way, way different than what I did for my first HIM in 2010. Some of it has been trial and error. A lot of it has come from reading what others have used. This is long course--IM/HIM nutrition but it is really time driven so you can adjust for whatever length you think you will be on the course. Race day morning: At least 2.5 hours before the race I eat the following: Oatmeal--two packets of instant oatmeal with raisins added. I use this as my standard because it is easy to take to any race and can be fixed almost anywhere. Banana, sometimes two. Usually purchased at the race location but sometimes I bring this with me. Coffee. one to two cups. I eat this whether I am racing an IM or a Sprint. I want calories in the tank on race morning. (I also eat a bowl of cereal about 30 minutes before just about every morning swim I do and it never bothers me so if I start the race with a little bit of food in my gut it is unlikely to cause me an issue). In the 90 minutes leading up to the race: I will drink a 20 ounce water bottle filled with my 'bike nutrition mixture'. My goal is to get this finished 15-30 minutes before I go in the water. In the 20 ounces is around 430 calories with 93 grams of Carbs, 2.5 grams of protein, some caffeine, 635 mg of sodium, 260 mg of potassium, a tiny smidgen of calcium and magnesium. I mix two scoops of a custom Infinit mixture with one packet of Generation UCAN to achieve these numbers. Usually I can't wait to get in the water because I am 'very well hydrated' at the start of a race. Swim: Well, there is no nutrition for me during this phase. Sometimes there is some inadvertent extra hydration that goes on during some of the rougher swims. It happens. I have heard of people stuffing a gel pack in their wetsuit and eating it at the halfway point. I have never seen the need but I'm just sharing. Bike: Here is where the nutrition strategy gets important. I don't eat or drink anything in T1. The goal is to get out and get going. I can "eat" while I am moving. My nutrition strategy is 100% liquids, no solids, no gels, for the entire race. I used to take bars, pretzels, gels, etc. What I found was that taking in solids had me very nauseated and with some diarrhea (sorry to be graphic but IM racing ain't for the weak of stomach) when I got to the run. Since I have switched to all liquids I have not had a GI upset issue or a hydration problem in any race. For an IM race, four bottles of the same mixture outlined above is my total bike nutrition (approximately 1720 calories). I start with two bottles on my bike coming out of T1 and then pick up two more at Special Needs. (In a HIM I would only use two total bottles, in an Olympic, only one). To calculate nutritional needs on the bike. I use 4-6 calories/kg/hour as my nutritional requirements. For a 70 kg male (me, approximately) that is 280-420 calories per hour. I don't have the reference on that number but I know it is out there and that it works. Where you fall on this spectrum needs to be worked out in training. So, once I am on the bike I try to suck down an entire bottle (430 calories, remember?) in the first hour. I figure coming out of the swim I am a little behind and need to get some calories in. Once I finish that first bottle I drop it at an aid station and get a water bottle to supplement my hydration--drinking to thirst (at a hot race I will also use the water I pick up at each aid station to douse my jersey, shorts, helmet, etc to aid with evaporative cooling). After the first bottle I try to make each subsequent nutrition bottle last about 1:15. At the half way point at Bike Special Needs I dump everything and pick up two fresh bottles of the same stuff and follow the same plan. If I drink all four bottles, 1720 calories in 5.5 hours (my projected IM bike split) I will have taken in 313 calories per hour which is on the lower end of the above formula but experience has shown me that this will have me coming off the bike well hydrated, calorically ok and ready to run. Run: All liquids....... I hate carrying stuff with me when I run. I use a Nathan hydration belt for long training runs but I hate it. I don't like how it feels. I hate lugging around an extra pound (or two) of stuff when I am racing. Most of these races have aid stations every mile anyway so I don't feel the need to carry my own stuff at this point. I go with water as much as I can get and coke every time it is offered. I don't wait for the half way point of the run or anything like that. When coke is available, I grab a dixie cup and down it. I also drink at least one water per aid station if not two. If it is hot I grab a third to pour on me to cool off. I have never figured out my consumption on the run but lets say 30 calories per cup times 16? aid stations, would come out to 480 calories...... More than enough to run the marathon if you have done your job fueling on the bike. I have never felt that nutrition has been a limiter for me on the run since going with this plan. If you really want numbers, you should probably shoot for 2-3 calories/kg/hour on the run. The body just cannot absorb the same levels of calories while running as while biking. If you tried to keep up the 4-6 calories/kg/hour I guarantee that eventually you will end up bloated, nauseated and miserable...... My last two IMs I did not turn in a Run Special Needs bag. I am fueling off the course. I'm not going to change my shoes. At the half way point of the run I am going to just suck it up and finish....... I'm not saying that is what you should do but for me Run SN doesn't offer much. Post Race: Goal is to feel good enough to eat within a couple of hours of finishing. Beer. Wings. Poutine in Mont Tremblant...... Everything I take in for the entire race is caffeinated. I am probably going to put myself in to Afib at a race some day. I have never really slept the night after an IM. Whether I am on an IM high or just caffeinated to the gills, it is what I have come to expect. Questions? Comments? Like I said, it works for me

Originally posted by jmhpsu93

I would ask around some more (like you are doing) and find a coach who has worked with "adult-onset swimmers".  Teaching basic swim lessons is a whole different ball game from teaching an adult to swim more efficiently and faster. 

Originally posted by SSMinnow

I totally agree with the above.  I would take it one step further and say be prepared to use several different coaches until you find the one that is right for you.  It may mean just an intro lesson with that first person or a set of 3. Just because someone is a good swimmer, doesn't mean they'll be a good teacher.

I would also suggest you talk to other triathletes to see who they might recommend.

 

Originally posted by jonD81

Jason - Awesome post. Thank you so much for that. I won't quote it in my reply to save space on here, but I feel like I'm going to have read it a few times to really digest it (pun slightly intended). My question is leading up to race day what does your hydration plan look like? And with breakfast that morning, are you having any other liquids besides the coffee? I've started playing around with coffee/water/Gatorade the morning of and what order to have what in and how much. Also, I know you said you no longer do solids, but of the solids you've tried, which ones did you have the most success with? I'd love to be 100% liquid but mentally (and physically as well) any sort of solid food gives me a huge boost when I'm hungry like that.

Originally posted by GoldenSprocket

Sorry for the newbie question but what's a CHO?

Originally posted by SSMinnow

I totally agree with the above.  I would take it one step further and say be prepared to use several different coaches until you find the one that is right for you.  It may mean just an intro lesson with that first person or a set of 3. Just because someone is a good swimmer, doesn't mean they'll be a good teacher.

I would also suggest you talk to other triathletes to see who they might recommend.