Advantage Multisport Training and Rehab Tips
My goal here is to share training, racing, psychology, and rehab information for Advantage Multisport athletes and anyone else who may be interested. I will include photos of exercises and technique when applicable. I invite all Advantage Multisport athletes to contribute as well, as endurance training is a never-ending learning process and we can all glean a useful tip from anyone at any level.
Bellingham Fit Running Form Presentation
Running Economy
1. Form
2. Cadence
3. Run/walk strategy
Form
1. Smooth, not choppy. Minimal vertical motion. Looks the same when
running slow or fast.
2. Aligned and compact. Ear, shoulder, hips, ankles all aligned (stance
line). Legs, hips, arms, all produce forward momentum. No side to
side motion of the extremities or core, nor excessive front to back
motion.
3. Relaxation. Shoulders relaxed, hands unclenched, face and neck
loose. Only tension in the working muscles. Rolling wheel concept: wheel is efficient due to one point of contact to the ground directly under center of gravity. Forward motion achieved by tipping the top of the stance line forward, allowing gravity to create a situation where the athlete is falling. Forward motion is produced by placing a foot down under the center of gravity (COG) and falling again. How do we achieve this? (demo) Tall posture with pelvis, spine, neck all neutral. Forward lean from the ankles. Vertical lift of the heel up the stance line, then lightly placing it down under the COG again. Heel vs. forefoot strike: unless athlete naturally runs on forefoot or midfoot, a light heel contact is fine as long as the foot lands under the COG, not far out in front. Knees move directly forward and remain bent. Arm swing is directly forward and back. Elbows closed. Power produced from driving elbows back, not forward. CADENCE Each foot strikes the ground at least 90 times per minute (or 45x/30s). Increase cadence with focused cadence intervals during all runs. RUN/WALK STRATEGY Maintain peripheral system (leg muscle resiliency).
Race Strategy
coming soon!!!
Training, Racing, and Recovery Nutrition
Sports nutrition guidelines Compiled by Daryl Smith Carbohydrates = CHO Carbs and protein have 4 calories/g. Fats have 9 calories/g. Every day: Hydration 2 liters + replace losses related to exercise. CHO 5-7g/kg/day for general training needs. 7-10g/kg/day for the increased needs of endurance athletes. Protein RDA: 0.8g/kg/day For endurance athletes: 1.2-1.4g/kg/day Fats 20-35% daily calorie intake Individualize to meet energy needs for exercise and energy needs Discourage very low fat diets with <15% total calories from fats Primary source of fats should be from unsaturated varieties (good vegetable oils, etc) Good nutrition everyday during training is key to being able to do the work necessary to prepare for any athletic event. Before exercise: Hydration 8-16 oz about 2 hours before exercise. 4-8 oz immediately before exercise. CHO Consume about 100g of carbohydrate about 2-3 hours before exercise. Or follow the below recommendations depending on how your stomach does with food prior to exercise/racing (if digest well, okay to eat smaller meal closer to race/exercise, if nervous stomach, eat larger meal further away). Many times athletes with nervous stomachs do better consuming liquid nutrition prior to races. CHO, g/kg hours prior to exercise 1.0 1 2.0 2 3.0 3 4.0 4 Protein May be slight benefit to ingesting small amount of protein (0.1g/kg) prior to exercise. During exercise: Hydration 5-10oz for every 15-20 minutes of exercise, or 20-24 oz of fluids/hr. Extreme conditions may require more or less. For exercise less than 60 minutes, water should be fine. For activities greater than 90 minutes, recommend using a sports drink. CHO For events lasting more than 60-90 minutes, try to consume 30-70g CHO/hr of exercise. Examples Gatorade 15g CHO/8oz Gu 25g CHO/packet Clif Blocks 24g CHO/3 pieces Power Bar 25g CHO/bar To be more precise, 1g of CHO per kg bodyweight/hr. Example… 150 pound athlete /2.2 = 68 kg Consume 68g CHO per hour x4 = 272 calories per hour of CHO. Sodium Research on sodium needs is still fairly vague. From what I have read, it seems that most athletes will require about 400-1000+mg per hour of exercise depending on sweat rates, conditions, duration of activity, etc. This is a wide range and will require some trial and error in training. If you have been plagued by cramping on the bike/run, then you may be one that requires more sodium. Using Gatorade endurance formula and/or salt tabs are great ways to ingest higher quantities of sodium. After exercise: Hydration 16/24 oz /pound body weight lost during exercise. Chose high carbohydrate drinks such as juices or sports drinks CHO and protein Consume CHO/protein within first 30 minutes after exercise Combination of 1.2g/kg/hr CHO + 0.1-0.2g/kg/hr protein to optimally replete glycogen stores and stimulate muscle repair. Repeat same amount 2 hours after exercise if you haven’t eaten a full normal meal yet. Recent study revealed that a tall glass of chocolate milk (so simple) actually induced better recovery than the high priced (and nasty tasting) recovery drinks on the market. 8-oz will provide 160-180 calories, 26g CHO, 8g protein, 420g potassium, 150mg sodium.
Results Detachment
The race season is upon us, and with the Ironman North America events fast approaching, as well as Age Group Nationals and other local and regional races, many of us will be racing our first “A” race of the year very soon. I performed my next to last key session this past weekend, a 4 hour bike with hills and time trial work, followed by a 2 hour run at Ironman pace. This was the first time I have performed such a workout, and let me tell you, it was tough with the 80+ degree temps on the run. Good preparation for Ironman CDA which is almost guaranteed to be a hot one. While I learned many lessons during the workout, I wanted to share one particular insight that I had while spending 6 hours with no one but myself.
The plan for the day included 5x10+ minute repeat hills at 1 hour into the bike, then a 20’ time trial at 3.5 hours into the session. I felt strong and comfortable with my pacing, nutrition, and equipment, but when I finished the bike and glanced at my average speed for the ride, I was disappointed to see that it was lower than I had hoped (due to the hilly terrain). Oh well, shake it off and onto the run. My running off the bike lately has been the strongest I have ever experienced, with many 1 hour runs in the low to mid 7s at Ironman heart rates after long challenging rides. I began to experience that dreaded goal inflation that occurs when we have exceptional sessions late in our buildups. I started to think that maybe a run in the mid 3 hour range would be possible, instead of the sub-4 hour goal I had set for myself. The main difference between previous sessions and today was about 20 degrees on the thermometer, which immediately caused my HR to jump to my cap of 140 at a much slower pace of upper 8s. Right where my original goal was, but much slower than the previous runs I had clicked off over the past month.
I was immediately frustrated with my slower pace, and many negative thoughts started to enter my mind. Luckily after about 30 minutes of cursing my HR monitor alarm, I came to the realization that I was totally on target for my original goal, and I was missing out on this chance to enjoy this run in the warm sunshine on a totally beautiful day along the Puget Sound. At that moment I realized how often we set ourselves up for disappointment when we enter workouts and races totally attached to final results. The reason we should be doing triathlon is for the pleasurable experiences that the journey offers us.
Two weeks ago, on Memorial Day, I returned to race a small triathlon that I won last year. My goal was to attempt to defend my title. When the gun went off, the guy to my right in the awesome new Zoot wetsuit, went immediately to the front and I jumped on his feet and drafted to a PR swim. We hit the bike course together and he immediately grabbed a lead, and continued to pad it throughout the bike. Those negative feelings of watching someone roar away on the bike (which happens to be my weakest event in triathlon) began to enter my mind, but I was able to talk myself through it and get on with the challenge of racing hard. I chased him to a time 1’ faster than my ride last year (despite having the distraction of being stung by a wasp on the lip), and I was able to take a minute out of his 2’ lead on the run to finish a minute behind for second. At the finish line we met up, and I found him a wonderfully friendly guy who was gracious about the win. He is a 48 year old that should do very well at Nationals later this month. I had no bad feelings of losing to such a fine athlete and person, and was happy with the new PR that had resulted during my pursuit. Had I continued with my negative mindset at the beginning of the bike, I am sure I would not have been able to hit the time for the new PR.
Two friends of mine recently had exceptional races, one being an Ironman, the other being in a sprint triathlon. When I spoke to the Ironman following his race, he expressed his disappointment with his overall time and bike split. Yet the race was a huge PR for him and his fastest marathon run as well. He executed well, nailed his nutrition down for the first time in his several Ironman races, and finished his run with a flyer. The short course athlete also expressed disappointment with his race, primarily with his inability to lift HR on the bike. Yet he rode at 23 mph and ran his fastest 5k to date by far. Rather than recognizing the huge accomplishments they had achieved, they found dissatisfaction in their races, and I feel missed out on the celebration that they should have experienced at the finish with their huge personal triumphs.
Why do we race? Most of us find huge pleasure and excitement getting out there and swimming, biking and running with wonderful, like-minded people. Racing offers us motivation and a structured time table for our season. It gives us challenges and tests our resolve to perform to the best of our abilities. But when we define ourselves by the outcomes, we miss so much that the races have to offer. Get out there and follow your race plan, execute your pacing and nutrition strategy, and use the other athletes to reach new heights. There are just too many variables that can occur on race day that may prevent us from hitting specific goal splits or placings. A friend of mine said it best, “Focus on perfect race execution within you present situation, and let the results take care of themselves.”
Brad Kearns, my coaching mentor and retired professional triathlete, has an entire section in his book, Breakthrough Triathlon Training, based on cultivating a pure motivation for training and racing. He states that when we are “attached to external judgments like time, place, or validation from others, we are vulnerable to getting psyched out by opponents, getting discouraged when times or places don’t match expectations, and letting anxiety limit our potential. When push comes to shove, the athlete who is motivated by love and passion for the sport will be able to dig deeper and prevail over someone who is driven by superficial motivators.” He writes of one race, the Desert Princess Duathlon, where he came in 24th out of 27 pro competitors on the first run. “Had I been attached to outcomes during that first run, I would have been demoralized by my place. Hopelessly behind, I would have likely given up or even dropped out. But after pacing the first 10k run sensibly, I flew through the 62K bike—passing 23 guys ahead of me (including Scott Molina and Kenny Sousa)—and began the second run in the lead. I still had plenty of energy to run hard on the final 10k and build up a two-minute lead by the finish. With a pure motivation that day, my mind remained focused on the enjoyment of riding my bicycle as hard as I could across the desert. In the process, I was able to shatter self-limiting beliefs.”
So as your “A” race approaches, set your goals by all means, and use them to drive your training, but on race day, focus on non-outcome goals that will keep you in a good state of mind throughout the day and after the race as well. Just as an example, here are mine for IM CDA, my first M-dot race. Get to the starting line healthy and rested. Go with the flow on the swim. Find a draft if possible, and maintain composure throughout, no matter how much body contact occurs. Smile the entire bike. Stay in your HR zones, ride the hills strong and efficient, offer encouragement to everyone you pass or who passes you, and thank every volunteer and traffic control person that helps keep you safe on the bike course. Maintain your smile on the run; execute your pacing strategy, especially early when the pace feels very slow. Tell my family I love them and thank them for their support every time I see them on the run course. Use the other athletes for motivation and encourage all that are having a hard day. Smile down the finish shoot and celebrate the victory of winning your own race, no matter what the results say.
Happy training and racing!
Daryl Smith
Key Workouts Strategy
Click here to link to page
IT Band Friction Syndrome (ITBFS) Prevention
The IT Band is a thick band of connective tissue that runs down the outside of the leg from the tensor fascia latae (TFL) muscle at the front and outside of the hip down to the outside of the tibia. The TFL muscle assists the more powerful gluteus medius muscle in the back of the hip with stabilization of the hip in stance. When the gluteus medius muscle is weak and underdeveloped, as it is frequently with straight-line sport athletes (cyclists, road runners, triathletes), then the TFL muscle becomes overly tight and will pull the IT Band tight against the outside of the knee. Inflammation and pain is the result, and can sometimes become so significant that the athlete can no longer continue to participate in his or her chosen sport.
IT Band Friction Syndrome is much easier to prevent than it is to cure. Proper training methods and shoeware selection, running on softer surfaces, and diligence with a few basic exercises is the best approach. The exercises focus on improving hip strength, and improving flexibility of the TFL muscle to improve stability and function of the hip during the running motion. Following are the key exercises for ITBFS prevention: The Bridge, hip abduction, and hip flexor stretch.
If you have a history of low back or hip pain, or currently have IT Band Friction Syndrome, it is recommended that you consult a physician or physical therapist prior to performing these exercises. Stop exercise if you feel pain at any time. Peform at your own risk.
Level 1 Bridges: Contract your abdominal muscles by pulling your navel toward your spine. Keeping stomach tight and back straight, slowly lift hips off the surface. Begin with 10 repetitions and build gradually to 20. When you can do 20 slow reps without loss of form or pain, then replace with Level 2 Bridges.
Level 2 Bridges: Contract your abdominal muscles by pulling your navel toward your spine. Keeping stomach tight and back straight, slowly lift hips off the surface. Then hold hips steady and slowly lift one leg. Alternate side to side. Begin with 5-10 repetitions and gradually build to 20.
Clamshells: Bottom hip and knee is bent while lying on side. The pelvis is perpendicular to the floor. Contract your abdominal muscles by pulling your navel toward your spine. Bend top hip and knee to about 45 degrees and rest on lower leg. Rotate top leg upward without allowing pelvis to tilt backward, then return to start position. Begin with 5-10 slow reps and build to 20. When you can perform 20 reps without loss of form or pain, then replace with Level 2 hip abduction with lateral rotation.
Level 2 hip abduction with lateral rotation: Bottom hip and knee is bent while lying on side. Contract your abdominal muscles by pulling your navel toward your spine. Slightly rotate the top leg so knee is pointing slightly upward. Keep leg in line with lower thigh at about a 45 degree angle from your body. Maintaining hip rotation, lift thigh at hip joint without allowing pelvis to tilt backward, then return to start position. Begin with 5-10 slow reps and build to 20. When you can perform 20 reps without loss of form or pain, then replace with Level 3 hip abduction with lateral rotation.
Level 3 hip abduction with lateral rotation: Bottom hip and knee is bent while lying on side. Contract your abdominal muscles by pulling your navel toward your spine. Slightly rotate the top leg so knee is pointing slightly upward. Pull thigh back in line with body. Maintaining hip rotation, lift thigh at hip joint without allowing pelvis to tilt backward, then return to start position. Begin with 5-10 slow reps and build to 20.
Hip Flexor/TFL stretch: Lie on a hard table or edge of bed with your back flat. Bring both knees to your chest, but hold only one knee to your chest with your hands to keep the back flat and pelvis from moving. Contract your abdominal muscles by pulling your navel toward your spine. Lower the alternate leg down towards the surface to stretch the front of that hip, not allowing it to go out to the side. Hold position for 30-60 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side. Be sure to keep the back flat.
Early Season Patience
by Daryl Smith
November 15, 2006
Be patient, it is still only November, and while dedication to building base is important this time of year, doing too much, too soon, especially with regards to intensity, can lead to burnout, injury, and staleness. For triathlon, we want to be fresh and intensely motivated for the 4-8 weeks prior to our goal races for the season. For most of us, these races occur in mid summer to fall, so we must pace our season just as we pace our workouts and races, to finish strong and healthy. Have a great holiday season.
Time to Swim Right:
My Eye-Opening Swim Session with Swim-Tek’s Jim Williams.
by Daryl Smith
August 2, 2006
“Swimming is a technique sport.” These are the words my friend Brad Mott told me when I decided to train for triathlon after ducking the swim for duathlon for my first 2 years in multisport. Those words have stuck with me through all of my swim training of the past 5 years. I have never been a high volume athlete, which has shown up somewhat in my bike splits. Yet my swim has always been a strength, despite my average of 1.5 hours per week (max of 3 hours a couple times per year) of water time. Now, I cannot even come close to competing with athletes who come from a swim background, but as far as triathletes go, my swim always ranks within the top 1-2 % in every race. I believe this is a result not of natural talent (something I have very little of), but a result of my total dedication to swimming correctly every time I hit the water. I always focus on my distance per stroke and streamlining in the pool, and taking long relaxed strokes and holding solid water with my pull when in the lake. I am dismayed by the number of athletes who put in hour upon hour of pool time never to see improvement in their swim times. Without emphasis on technique, they are just becoming better and better at thrashing the water.
Terry Laughlin, the brain behind Total Immersion, says that swimming is 70% body position, and only 30% propulsion. By getting the body flat in the water, and swimming on our sides for the majority of the time, we become much more “fishlike”, invisible to the drag that is created by water, which is a 1000 times denser than air. If we could all get that 70% body position thing right, we would all be much better off than if we focus all of our time and energy into pushing more water behind us at a faster and faster rate for length after length. When that 70% is correct, then working on holding the water and pulling past an anchored hand, rather then allowing the arm to slip as you stroke, will add much more power and speed to the stroke.
With all of this in mind, I contacted Jim Williams of Swim-Tek (see link on my “Friends” page) and scheduled a video taping session. The first thing I found was that Jim’s sessions are very reasonably priced. Try to find any hour consultation time in any sport out there for $40 or less. This is cheaper and more beneficial than a carbon fiber water bottle holder that many triathletes have on their bike. I was a bit nervous about being filmed. I had only had one person in my entire swimming career critique my stroke. I was aware that there could be A LOT wrong with what I was doing. The session consisted of swimming 4x50 yards while being recorded above and below water. Then I jumped out and dried off to watch and learn.
It was obvious to me immediately that Jim had a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to coaching swimming technique and fitness. He went through, step-by-step, what a good swim stroke should look like, totally emphasizing body position first, then breaking down the actual arm stroke itself. I was amazed at how obvious many of my technique flaws were when I watched the replay of the video at regular speed and slow motion. My most detrimental flaw was that I looked too far forward when I swam. This in turn increased my low back arch and dropped my hips and feet, presenting much more body to the water than should be. Jim recommended that I tuck my chin and look straight down, in effect lengthening my neck and overall spine. I also saw that when I breathed to my left side (my weaker side, despite my emphasis on bilateral breathing in ALL swims), I would lose my balance and compensate with a wide kick. This was also a drag-producer, something that could significantly add on time over an Ironman swim when I breathe to the left for half my breaths.
Some of the more subtle things that Jim picked out included hands that were too high in the water during my glide phase, loss of my high elbow during my pull, and minimal snap from my hips and core during initiation of the stroke. These all add to increase drag or loss of power during the stroke. Jim then described drills that would break down my stroke and allow me to overcome my flaws. He had great video footage of many of these drills which helped me to understand and visualize what I needed to work on during subsequent swims. Many of these drills were the basic TI drills that I had left behind years ago thinking that I was too advanced for them (kicking on stomach while looking down and reaching for the far wall with the top of my head, kicking on side, 3 stroke and roll, etc.)
With a plan in hand, I changed my schedule to swim more on my own rather than hammering myself during morning master’s swims. This allowed me to work on my stroke without distraction. Once Lake Padden warmed up, I started including some of the drills in the open water, and also just focusing on perfect body position and stroke mechanics during my long relaxed swims. I have been amazed how much more relaxed, smooth, and effective my stroke has become during my open water swims, in particular when the water has been rough on those breezy morning swims. All of this resulted in my best swim times to date for the early summer sprint distance triathlons. I look forward to trying out my new stroke at the Tri Without Borders Race next week, then also during the 4k swim at the Grand Columbian ITU long distance race in September.
I, without any hesitation, recommend that all triathletes have their stroke videotaped and analyzed. The information you will glean from such sessions will mean far greater speed and/or energy reserved for the bike and run segments of your races. One Advantage Multisport athlete went through the taping with several subsequent lessons with Jim, resulting in a very strong, yet relaxed three stroke breathing 27:31 half iron swim at Lake Stevens, the fifth fastest swim on the day. This, in only his second year of triathlon. Get taped, do the drills, and swim right. You will find that you can improve your swim times on far fewer yards if those yards are swum perfectly, and you will find far greater enjoyment of your swim training and racing.
Train well,
Daryl Smith
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