Competitor.com’s Sean McKeon had a chance to test out the true capacity of the popular running utility belt called Spibelt. Spibelt can be used to help you carry things on your run, see how much we were able to fit in one Spibelt!
Photo: Nils Nilsen Goal setting is one of the defining characteristics that separates athletes from exercisers; we set our sights on specific targets and we strive for performance. As you get ready to put your 2012 goals down on paper (which I highly recommend), here are some guidelines to keep in mind. I’ve divided these goal-setting tips into categories based on three groups of triathletes I frequently talk to. You may fit squarely into one category or identify with more than one. “I want to be a contender.” “I coulda’ been a contenda,” lamented Marlon Brando in “On the Waterfront.” But he wasn’t, because as a fighter he didn’t have anyone looking out for him and he went for the easy buck instead of the long-term gain. If you want to step up your performance in 2012 and stand atop the podium, get yourself: A coach. I know I’m biased, but during the natural ups and downs of the training process athletes benefit from external guidance. Coaching is not just a training program or data analysis; it’s the relationship that guides you through the dark days, when fatigue causes self-doubt and insecurities to cloud your judgment. Performance monitors. If you want to win, invest in a power meter for the bike and a GPS-enabled heart rate monitor for your other activities. Even more important: Download the data and use it. You’d be surprised at the number of athletes who have the gear but do nothing with the useful information it provides. Speed. Endurance gets you to the finish line, but speed wins races. If you want to win you have to put your time into high-intensity speed work on the track, cycling intervals above lactate threshold intensity, and VO 2 max intervals in the pool. RELATED: Meet 5 New Male Pros
Learning to swim is often the biggest hurdle for adults getting into triathlon. With all the literature and videos out there, is a coach necessary to get started? This month Sara McLarty debates Tim Edwards, a coach with North Coast Endurance in Cleveland, Ohio. Sara: With family and work schedules, very few people have the ability to train with a coach. Instead, it’s much easier to purchase a DVD or book that they can follow at their own pace. Most are cheaper than a session with a coach, plus you can also find free videos on YouTube. Tim: Most triathletes have Type A personalities and they are very driven by schedules. Getting together with a coach for an hour is not a huge hurdle to overcome. Newbies are often lost in the mountain of data. With so much to think about, they don’t have a logical progression to follow as they start their journey in the pool. A coach can break down the individual skills and move on only when they have mastered them. Sara: Triathlete recently outlined a simple way to create your own underwater video camera. You can film yourself in the pool and analyze your technique each week as you progress. Compare your video to professional swimmers online. Tim: Athletes can videotape themselves, but the feedback is delayed. They have to wait to download the video and spend time comparing. Trying a skill, having it analyzed by a coach, learning the corrections and trying it again is compressed into minutes—not days. This progression is worth the extra couple of bucks. RELATED: How To Analyze Your Own Swim Stroke Sara: I’ve coached some athletes who just won’t listen to what I say, even if I’ve told them a million times. They finally end up figuring it out themselves and when that happens, it sticks. Learning on your own forces you to think about what you are doing and why you are doing it. Tim: The swim usually creates the most stress for a new triathlete. A coach is able to mentally help out by being there in this new environment. I swim with many athletes the first time they are in open water, “holding their hands” as they get comfortable. No video or book will reassure them when they first encounter a breaking wave or a plant wrapping around their hand. Sara: I can’t really argue against having a coach with you for your open-water swim training. Other than going with a very experienced friend, I don’t recommend any athletes trying open water without some support system nearby. Tim: Empowering the athlete is excellent. Athletes who really want to reach that next level of competition need to have a high level of investment in the process. One of the best ways for athletes to learn is to combine video of their practice with analysis of the technique. Many athletes I have coached have finally “got it” when they can see with their own eyes. Triathlete final thoughts: Videos and books can get you started, but a great coach can take you much further in your swim training.
Photo: Triathlon.org Winter running breeds some interesting misconceptions, so we decided to get the straight story. We enlisted the help of one of the key scientists studying cold-weather workouts: John Castellani, Ph.D., research physiologist at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Mass. See if you can separate the truths from the lies below—and stay warm and fit all winter.
Need a challenge to stay motivated this off-season? Sign up for an indoor triathlon. The typical format is 60 minutes of racing: 10-minute pool swim, 30-minute indoor bike and 20-minute treadmill run, with variations depending on location and organizers. Can’t find an event near you? Create your own at the gym! JackRabbit Sports New York City; $50 ; Jan. 8 and 22, Feb. 4 and 19, March 4 This Big Apple tri shop hosts five events around the city and the top finishers compete in a championship. Jackrabbitsports.com Life Time Fitness Various U.S. locations; $25 for members, $30 for non-members ; see website for dates. The gym chain hosts outdoor events during the tri season and indoor races throughout the year. Lifetimefitness.com Progression Triathlon Tolland, Conn.; $25 for members, $35 for non-members ; Jan. 8, Feb. 5, March 11, April 15 and May 6 Every month the distance increases, ending with the final race—an 800-yd swim, 28-mile bike and 7-mile run. Starhillsports.com Tri to Help Maryland, Connecticut, Pennsylvania; $40 individual, $90 team (early registration); Jan. 14, Feb. 12 and 25 This series raises money for Stroup Kids for Kids Epilepsy Foundation, and hopes to expand to 4–5 states next year. Tritohelp.org Give It a Tri Duncan, Okla.; $35 individual, $90 for team ; Feb. 26 A 300-meter swim, 8-mile stationary bike and 3-mile run, with two race options for kids. Drhhealthfoundation.org RainMan Seattle; $45 ; April 1 A slightly different format—15 min indoor swim, 30 min ride with your bike on a trainer, then a 2.97-mile run around Green Lake. Trifreaks.com
To be successful in any endurance event, you have to refuel. In this video, Dr. Bob Sallis explains the basics of energy sources for endurance athletes. More videos from Triathlete.com.
