For many, including myself, race season is here. The competition phase is what it's all about. As much as I personally enjoy the process of training and really view my progression in multisport as a journey, there is no denying that big races play an integral role in defining that journey. They serve as inflection points upon which we measure our success; competing against ourselves and against other athletes.
I was thinking that even during long-course races, while a lot of soul-searching goes down, not many athletes re-read books in their minds; rather, they turn to key mantras, sayings, and one-liners to get them through tough stretches. So instead of writing in my typical lengthy-prose style, I've decided to go with something more pragmatic. In the lead up to my big races, I don't plan on being overly reflective or philosophical, as sometimes I feel like that approach can hurt more than it can help. When my minds starts churning, I'll simply turn to a few very powerful sayings. While I'm sure you've all amassed your own (and would encourage you to share), maybe you'll find some additional tidbits of wisdom here as well:
"Trust your training." Thanks to Doug Maclean, professional triathlete and QT2 Systems coach for giving me these three doubt-combating words.
"Race with a purpose to express your fitness. Fight to express as much of the fitness and hard work that you've done." Simon Whitfield, Olympian, wise veteran, role model to most triathletes.
"Realize. Realize. Realize. Make it real, bring things to fruition." This one is mine, and in a similar spirit to what Whitfield says about expressing your fitness. Remember that racing is a chance to "make real" all the hard work you have put in. In racing, we do this my measuring ourselves against the most honest broker there is; time.
"When the hurt comes on, are you going to check-out, or embrace the pain and suffer?" Chris McCormack has a lot more to say about suffering, and a simple Google search of his name and "suffer" will lead you in this direction. I've found that the difference between good, great, and breakthrough performances comes down to my attitude toward and acceptance of suffering on the day. More on suffering here
"Seize and squeeze." Thanks mom. For when things are going right. Lock in and embrace it.
"Attitude of gratitude." Be thankful that you are able to use your mind and body to compete, and be thankful to those around you that support your pursuit and help make it possible. Take yourself and the event very seriously, but never too seriously, as the mere fact that you are out there is something to be extremely happy about.
In closing, and on that last note, I want to take a second to personally thank some great brands (Extreme Endurance, Kiwami Triathlon, and Greater > Than Coconut Water) and some great people (Coach Wes Johnson, my girlfriend Caitlin, and my family) for helping me get to the peak-phase of the season fit, healthy, and happy. Time to rock and roll!!
Good luck to all in your upcoming races. Accomplish your goals, and keep moving forward.
***Please note that I have tweaked and/or shortened a few of the exact phrases in quotations above, but wanted to give credit to the originators of those thoughts nonetheless.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Product Review: Xendurance
You know you are a triathlete when Monday becomes your favorite day of the week!! I'm thoroughly enjoying this easy Monday after a tough weekend of training that capped off a three week build which had me training at volumes of 20, 21, and 18 hours. While the primary focus of the cycle surrounded increasing durability, all of those weeks were filled with high-quality sessions, so it's not like I was just getting through long, slow miles and yards. As I do some quick reflecting on this massive build, which was the biggest of my short career, I'm most happy with how consistent I was. I was strong throughout, and rather than feeling like I was "surviving" the training, I felt like I was "thriving" and progressing over the entire course of the build. Sure, there were some ugly workouts and heavy fatigue, but on balance, most days were extremely positive.
More than anything, a smart approach and plan to long-term development is the dominant factor in being able to absorb progressively more stressful training - so thanks Coach Wes for taking the time and truly caring engagement to purposefully build me up to this level of training. Next comes proper nutrition and sleep; without high-grade fuel and proper downtime, it's impossible to progress. At the highest level, the right nutrients enable the body to grow, and the body grows while sleeping; it's really that simple. So, with a smart plan, good nutrition and the right amount of sleep, you are well on the road to success. But, is there more that can be done? Are there other things that can make a difference?
For the longest time I would have said, "no," and as a result, never used supplements outside of whey protein and a calcium+D tablet to provide an extra layer of security against stress fractures. But a little over a year-ago I literally stumbled upon a product called "Extreme Endurance" which marketed itself as a buffer against the burn and soreness resultant from high lactic acid training. I did my research:
After checking all of those boxes, I gave Extreme Endurance a try. After about a month of use, I noticed an enormous difference in my recovery time from individual workouts, and also recovery [in general over the longer term] from constantly building training. Soreness that would once hold me back from executing quality work seemed to dissipate much faster. The amount of time I needed to recover between quality sessions decreased markedly, and most notably, my recovery time following race-efforts went way down, which means I could get back to training faster (this post-race benefit is in-large part due to what I take in the week leading up to the race and the day following the race, per the dosing guidelines). All and all, I was amazed at how well Extreme Endurance worked, and how well I absorbed escalating training while taking it. No substitute for a proper plan, nutrition, and sleep, but hugely beneficial at the margin after those factors are accounted for.
So, typical to my over-the-top engagement (it can border annoying, I know this, and blame my Mom for raising me this way) I reached out to the company Xendurance to learn more about the product, how it was developed, and exactly how it worked...and...amazement factor #2. I was immediately put in touch with a Vice President at the company, Robyn Kellin, who matched my enthusiasm and spent so much time giving me the resources and knowledge to learn more about Extreme Endurance -- and it's not like she had to, I was already sold on it. Not only was the product incredible, but the family feel and a real dedication to making safe and effective supplements to help athletes reach their performance goals characterized the company and completely wowed me. One thing lead to another, and I became fortunate enough to be one of Extreme Endurance's sponsored athletes. This basically means I get to feel less bad about bugging Robyn and Co. on a regular basis. Oh, and yeah, if you check out my company, its pretty impressive. Talk about being a small fish in a big pond!
So, am I biased toward Extreme Endurance? Absolutely. Is it because they sponsor my pursuits? No. It's because the stuff works and is based on the best science and developed under the strictest scrutiny for both health and performance ethics. I currently use three Xendurance products:
1) Extreme Endurance: Lactic Acid Buffer that works by eating the hydrogen ions released with intense training (I've learned its the byproducts of lactic acid, like hydrogen, that is the problem, not the lactic itself)
2) Xecute: Pre-workout drink that helps immensely with recovery by providing the body with the highest quality BCAAs to guard against muscle breakdown...and also helps fuel workouts by providing a lactate fuel source in addition to traditional glycogen (e.g., carbs) that I use to fuel my workouts
3) Immune Boost: The Rolls-Royce of multi-vitamins, complete with essentials, plus micro-nutrients and compounds that are specific to the demands of someone putting their body through high physical stress
Taken together, this Xendurance trio has absolutely helped me achieve the consistency and progression in my training that I'm confident will take me to the next level
Yes, the products are expensive, but well worth every penny; especially if you are serious about your progression as an athlete and are at a point where the boost you get at the margin makes a difference (e.g., you've already got the plan down, eat and sleep right). For me, this is about being competitive at national races, not to mention, about a determination to constantly best myself that underlies all of my training and racing.
I am so fortunate to work with Robyn, Sandy, and Iron Jeff over at Xendurance. Thank you all for putting up with me, believing in me, and supporting the pursuit of my goals. If you have any questions about the products, I highly recommend you spend some time on the Xendurance website which is a great repository of written, audio, and video knowledge. Also, feel free to reach out to me personally. I encourage all the athletes in my community to start with Extreme Endurance, and go from there.
I know this is a bit of an nontraditional post for the blog, but much like my musings on other elements of the sport, I think a great many endurance athletes can benefit from learning about Xendurance and working it into their program if appropriate.
More than anything, a smart approach and plan to long-term development is the dominant factor in being able to absorb progressively more stressful training - so thanks Coach Wes for taking the time and truly caring engagement to purposefully build me up to this level of training. Next comes proper nutrition and sleep; without high-grade fuel and proper downtime, it's impossible to progress. At the highest level, the right nutrients enable the body to grow, and the body grows while sleeping; it's really that simple. So, with a smart plan, good nutrition and the right amount of sleep, you are well on the road to success. But, is there more that can be done? Are there other things that can make a difference?
For the longest time I would have said, "no," and as a result, never used supplements outside of whey protein and a calcium+D tablet to provide an extra layer of security against stress fractures. But a little over a year-ago I literally stumbled upon a product called "Extreme Endurance" which marketed itself as a buffer against the burn and soreness resultant from high lactic acid training. I did my research:
- Ensuring the product was safe: Talks with my physician and another doctor friend that is also a triathlete
- Approved under the most stringent international anti-doping policies given I was preparing to compete in the Duathlon World Championships, I made sure the product was evaluated under the strictest standards; e.g., Informed-Sport and Informed-Choice programs and
- Comprised of naturally occurring compounds: The magic is in the ratio, not some chemically engineered poison.
After checking all of those boxes, I gave Extreme Endurance a try. After about a month of use, I noticed an enormous difference in my recovery time from individual workouts, and also recovery [in general over the longer term] from constantly building training. Soreness that would once hold me back from executing quality work seemed to dissipate much faster. The amount of time I needed to recover between quality sessions decreased markedly, and most notably, my recovery time following race-efforts went way down, which means I could get back to training faster (this post-race benefit is in-large part due to what I take in the week leading up to the race and the day following the race, per the dosing guidelines). All and all, I was amazed at how well Extreme Endurance worked, and how well I absorbed escalating training while taking it. No substitute for a proper plan, nutrition, and sleep, but hugely beneficial at the margin after those factors are accounted for.
So, typical to my over-the-top engagement (it can border annoying, I know this, and blame my Mom for raising me this way) I reached out to the company Xendurance to learn more about the product, how it was developed, and exactly how it worked...and...amazement factor #2. I was immediately put in touch with a Vice President at the company, Robyn Kellin, who matched my enthusiasm and spent so much time giving me the resources and knowledge to learn more about Extreme Endurance -- and it's not like she had to, I was already sold on it. Not only was the product incredible, but the family feel and a real dedication to making safe and effective supplements to help athletes reach their performance goals characterized the company and completely wowed me. One thing lead to another, and I became fortunate enough to be one of Extreme Endurance's sponsored athletes. This basically means I get to feel less bad about bugging Robyn and Co. on a regular basis. Oh, and yeah, if you check out my company, its pretty impressive. Talk about being a small fish in a big pond!
So, am I biased toward Extreme Endurance? Absolutely. Is it because they sponsor my pursuits? No. It's because the stuff works and is based on the best science and developed under the strictest scrutiny for both health and performance ethics. I currently use three Xendurance products:
1) Extreme Endurance: Lactic Acid Buffer that works by eating the hydrogen ions released with intense training (I've learned its the byproducts of lactic acid, like hydrogen, that is the problem, not the lactic itself)
2) Xecute: Pre-workout drink that helps immensely with recovery by providing the body with the highest quality BCAAs to guard against muscle breakdown...and also helps fuel workouts by providing a lactate fuel source in addition to traditional glycogen (e.g., carbs) that I use to fuel my workouts
3) Immune Boost: The Rolls-Royce of multi-vitamins, complete with essentials, plus micro-nutrients and compounds that are specific to the demands of someone putting their body through high physical stress
Taken together, this Xendurance trio has absolutely helped me achieve the consistency and progression in my training that I'm confident will take me to the next level
Yes, the products are expensive, but well worth every penny; especially if you are serious about your progression as an athlete and are at a point where the boost you get at the margin makes a difference (e.g., you've already got the plan down, eat and sleep right). For me, this is about being competitive at national races, not to mention, about a determination to constantly best myself that underlies all of my training and racing.
I am so fortunate to work with Robyn, Sandy, and Iron Jeff over at Xendurance. Thank you all for putting up with me, believing in me, and supporting the pursuit of my goals. If you have any questions about the products, I highly recommend you spend some time on the Xendurance website which is a great repository of written, audio, and video knowledge. Also, feel free to reach out to me personally. I encourage all the athletes in my community to start with Extreme Endurance, and go from there.
I know this is a bit of an nontraditional post for the blog, but much like my musings on other elements of the sport, I think a great many endurance athletes can benefit from learning about Xendurance and working it into their program if appropriate.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Racing and Suffering
As Featured on XTRI
For certain situations a "managing" mindset makes sense (this depends on a combination of factors including things like an athlete's experience at a given distance, an athlete's objectives, and the competition) . That said, there is much to be gained by abandoning a control-oriented demeanor and approaching races freely; by going out and truly racing the day. Personally, I have come to believe that breakthrough performances almost always come when an athlete lets go of managing in favor of racing, something I recently experienced myself.
Whereas "managing the day" generally keeps things in control and takes you to places you have been before, "racing the day" allows you to explore unchartered territories. It is a risky proposition, where the cost (potential to blow up) is great, but in my opinion, the benefits even greater (crushing perceived limits). Against that backdrop, I wanted to reflect a bit on what I think is the most important thing to be aware of when it comes to racing. The ability to invite, anticipate with a positive state of mind, and then to endure suffering. I'll touch on each component briefly:
Inviting Suffering
Going harder than you have before in training (whether it be intensity, duration, or a combination of the two) likely means that you will feel something that you haven't felt before. While this has many names -- pain, muscular fatigue, cement legs -- they all fall under the umbrella of suffering. If you are going to breakthrough barriers, you are going to suffer. Let me explain. The perception of pain is a very complex process that centers around the relationship between the mind and body. Without going into the science, when the body is undergoing massive stress, the brain sends signals that say "back off" or "stop." These signals manifest in extreme discomfort, and in the simplest of terms, pain. This has served a great evolutionary purpose as pain quite literally protects us from hurting ourselves.
But here's the thing; all kinds of research has shown that the brain sends pain signals well in advance of the point that we may actually put ourselves in danger. Basically, on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being sitting on the couch and 10 being complete bodily shutdown) the brain may activate extreme pain at a 7, when the body can actually tolerate a 9 or even a 9.5. The implications of this may be hard to stomach, but they are actually quite simple. If you want to get everything you can out of your body, it is going to hurt a lot. If you want to breakthrough your barriers (which are in place not just because of fitness limiters, but also pain tolerance limiters) you are going to have to suffer more than you ever have before. If you want to PR, you kind of have to want to, or at least be willing to, endure a lot of pain.
Anticipating Suffering with a Positive State of Mind
We just established that suffering is generally requisite to breakthrough performances. Once an athlete accepts this and internalizes the need to suffer, he or she can approach it in one of two ways: 1) fear it, dread it, stress about or 2) confront it, embrace it, look forward to it.
Option #1 not only leaves an athlete much more likely to check out when the suffering begins, but it also can sabotage their race before it even starts. Any additional stress in the lead-up to an event is bad because it inhibits the body's ability to perform on race day. It follows that if an athlete is dreading the suffering that is ahead, the additional weight on their chest and stress will have all kinds of negative effects; from poor sleep to causing extra heartbeats in the 24 hours before a race.
Option #2 does the opposite. If you are looking forward to something, when it comes on, you are going to soak it up. When was the last time you were looking forward to a meal at your favorite restaurant, and then when the food came, you decided not to eat or enjoy the meal? Although pain and suffering is different than a great bowl of pasta, the concept is the same. If you can wrap your mind around the fact that pain means you are giving it your all, and that it is something to be relished on race day, then you are far more likely to be in the moment, and maybe even enjoy it. It's not something you want to do too often (it has wearing physical and mental effects), but if you pick your spots (e.g., your biggest races) and structure training, tapering, and recovery around them, then an athlete should be ready to endure extreme pain, and rebound from the suffering just fine.
Enduring Suffering
There are no easy outs, and no one-size-fits-all solutions. When the pain comes on -- even if you invite it and anticipate it with a positive state of mind -- thousands of years of evolution will be screaming "flight" and you've got to "fight." Call upon your favorite songs, think about your most grueling workouts, and recite your most effective mantras. Have these types of things in your back-pocket and ready to go. You don't want to waste any energy searching for them. Whatever they may be, find the tools that work best for you, and put them into play when the time comes. These don't have to be philosophical or inspirational either. To be honest, sometimes the best mantras are as simple as a few words you wouldn't recite in front of young children. Whatever it takes to turn off and ignore the central governor (e.g., the mind).
Concluding Thoughts
Suffering is an implicit part of breakthrough performances. That said, this stuff is not to be taken lightly. An athlete can only suffer effectively if they are well prepared both physically and mentally. Think of suffering as icing on a cake that includes sound training, nutrition, recovery, and fueling. Without this foundation, suffering can be ineffective at best, and dangerous at worst. This is why, as I said in opening, for many athletes in certain situations, managing a race actually makes sense, and will lead to the best performances at that particular snapshot in time. That said, once an athlete is ready to truly race at a given distance, suffering is a part of the equation that cannot be overlooked.
I'll end with a great quote from Ironman World Champion Chris "Macca" McCormack:
"You don't play triathlon. You play soccer; it's fun. You play baseball. Triathlon is work that can leave you crumpled in a heap, puking on the roadside. It's the physical brutality of climbing Mount Everest without the great view from the top of the world. What kind of person keeps on coming back for more of that?
That's why your state of mind is so important. You have to be honest with yourself about suffering: it's going to come, and it's part of the wholeness of being a triathlete, and it's totally real. It's you versus you. If you can be at peace in your mind and accept the pain, then you can see it as a part of the whole amazing experience. But if you're dreading the suffering because you approach it from a negative frame of mind, when it finally comes you're going to check out."
Thursday, March 22, 2012
The Importance of A Post-Workout Snack
A few of the runners that I coach are entering into some pretty serious phases of training; where both intensity and volume are picking up, creating a significant increase in overall training stress. While I have no doubt that they will attack the workouts hard, wear their compression socks 24/7, foam roll, schedule massage, etc, etc, I wanted to make sure that they don't overlook the simplest, yet arguably most important (second to good sleep) thing that they can be doing to prime themselves for success. Before going any further, I'll note that a recent "tweet" from a mentor of mine, Matt Dixon, helped trigger this "back to basics" thinking. Matt said "I'm bemused by the focus placed on compression + ice + stretching, but ignore proper fueling, sleep, and lighter training sessions." The rest of this brief, practical, and to-the-point post focuses on what I think is the most critical element of fueling; the importance of a post-workout recovery snack. I have simply copied the relevant parts of a note I sent to my athletes below, since the information is applicable to all endurance athletes that train hard and consistently:
I know you guys will attack the workouts hard, but I want to stress the importance of what you do right after those workouts. It becomes critical to have a recovery snack within 45 minutes of completing any hard (whether it be higher in intensity or longer in duration) workout. It is within this 0-45 minute window that your body is most "open" and "receptive" to taking in carbohydrate and turning it into glycogen (the stuff that powers your body during training), which is then quickly stored in your muscles so it can be used to fuel your next session. Think of your muscles like sponges; after finishing a hard workout they are squishy, soft, and porous, so you can really load them up (so they will be full for the next workout), whereas once time passes, they become dry and harder, and they don't fill up as easily or fully. There is a ton more to say here on what neglecting the post-workout snack means for your overall metabolic health and body composition, but just know that it is not only critical to your performance, but important for other more high-level health reasons too.
In terms of performance; this may be a slight exaggeration, but one of the most important factors of how you perform on your Sunday long run will be what you ate in the "fueling window" after your hard Friday threshold session. If timing works out so that you are eating a proper meal in that window, great! If not, aim for 50-60g of carbs and 10-20g of protein in a quick snack. This can be as simple as a cliff-bar and a banana, a large glass of chocolate milk, or something off-the-shelf like a Gatorade recovery drink...or... it can be as exquisite as some fancy smoothie you cook up; it's your world, so long as the focus on timing (fast) and the carb/protein ratio (4 to 1) remains.
I know the tendency is to "wait it out until breakfast/lunch/dinner" and then really go nuts, but your body needs and can best use the stuff right away, so put it in there right after, and just eat a little less later. That cliff-bar does you so much more good right after a workout than it does you at 10:00pm right before bed...
As I mentioned above, the above is most important for high-intensity or high volume days. If truly run for the purpose of recovery, easy runs shouldn't stress the body enough to deplete glycogen stores, so while I would encourage a quick snack after those too, the priority of nailing the post-workout snack is on anything at or above threshold or after long runs; both cases where you are likely to be in a glycogen depleted state. I'll also note here that for longer duration workouts, your fueling during the workout has a similar effect. Being a hero and regularly getting through your long workouts on just water sabotages long-term fitness gains. Use a sports-drink and other sources of carbohydrates.
Preventing complete glycogen depletion, and working to refuel your "muscle sponges" is the best combination for consistent, healthy, effective, and performance enhancing training.
I know you guys will attack the workouts hard, but I want to stress the importance of what you do right after those workouts. It becomes critical to have a recovery snack within 45 minutes of completing any hard (whether it be higher in intensity or longer in duration) workout. It is within this 0-45 minute window that your body is most "open" and "receptive" to taking in carbohydrate and turning it into glycogen (the stuff that powers your body during training), which is then quickly stored in your muscles so it can be used to fuel your next session. Think of your muscles like sponges; after finishing a hard workout they are squishy, soft, and porous, so you can really load them up (so they will be full for the next workout), whereas once time passes, they become dry and harder, and they don't fill up as easily or fully. There is a ton more to say here on what neglecting the post-workout snack means for your overall metabolic health and body composition, but just know that it is not only critical to your performance, but important for other more high-level health reasons too.
In terms of performance; this may be a slight exaggeration, but one of the most important factors of how you perform on your Sunday long run will be what you ate in the "fueling window" after your hard Friday threshold session. If timing works out so that you are eating a proper meal in that window, great! If not, aim for 50-60g of carbs and 10-20g of protein in a quick snack. This can be as simple as a cliff-bar and a banana, a large glass of chocolate milk, or something off-the-shelf like a Gatorade recovery drink...or... it can be as exquisite as some fancy smoothie you cook up; it's your world, so long as the focus on timing (fast) and the carb/protein ratio (4 to 1) remains.
I know the tendency is to "wait it out until breakfast/lunch/dinner" and then really go nuts, but your body needs and can best use the stuff right away, so put it in there right after, and just eat a little less later. That cliff-bar does you so much more good right after a workout than it does you at 10:00pm right before bed...
As I mentioned above, the above is most important for high-intensity or high volume days. If truly run for the purpose of recovery, easy runs shouldn't stress the body enough to deplete glycogen stores, so while I would encourage a quick snack after those too, the priority of nailing the post-workout snack is on anything at or above threshold or after long runs; both cases where you are likely to be in a glycogen depleted state. I'll also note here that for longer duration workouts, your fueling during the workout has a similar effect. Being a hero and regularly getting through your long workouts on just water sabotages long-term fitness gains. Use a sports-drink and other sources of carbohydrates.
Preventing complete glycogen depletion, and working to refuel your "muscle sponges" is the best combination for consistent, healthy, effective, and performance enhancing training.
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