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Put on your Ball Cap, and Go for a Run

I just completed a gear breakdown session with two of my athletes who are planning to compete in the inaugural Redman Iron distance triathlon in two weeks.

In an Iron distance race, small gear changes can add up to big improvements in performance. One of the key roles of your gear should be to reduce fatigue. Since we compete in the great outdoors, light colored clothes are a critical component to reduce the fatiguing effects of the sun. Not only do you want light colored clothing, but you also want to keep your eyes relaxed. Sunglasses are a requirement.

Take a look at your average running ball cap. Most are light colored with a dark color underneath the brim. The light colored cap keeps the sun from heating up your head, while the dark color under the brim keeps the sunlight from reflecting on your face and eyes. This may seem like a relatively small detail, but small details add up to significant differences when you are racing for 140 miles.

Stretch Cords Exercises

For those of you interested in Stretch Cords, I have posted the major exercises for swimmers on my other blog, Swimming Fast.

There is the :

• Straight Arm Pullback
  
• Flys
  
• Triceps
  
• Overhead Triceps
  
• External Rotator
  
• Internal Rotator

Running Speedwork (my favorite)

Everyone has their own speed workouts for running. I have a 3.22 mile course that I have been running for three years. I just recently turned that mundane route into my favorite course for speedwork.

Since I have been running the course for three years, I know exactly where the mile markers are. This makes for a very carefree run.

I run the first mile at a nice solid pace while I concentrate on my body position, foot strike, and push off. When I hit the mile marker, I kick it up to my 5k race pace or faster. I hold this pace for the entire second mile. I then slow it down and try to recover as quickly as possible without stopping. Once I recover, I bring my speed back up to my half marathon pace and finish the run with a strong pace. My goal is twofold. I want to 1)Push my lactate threshold by running fast and 2) recover quickly from a big effort. Get out of your rut, and put some speed back into your running.

USAT Coaching Certification Program

I recently returned from the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs where I attended the USAT Level 1 Coaching Clinic. It was one of the most educational experiences that I have ever had about athletics, training, and triathlon.

If you are coaching triathletes, I recommend pursuing certification from USAT. You can learn more at USAT's website. There are about 1000 USAT certified coaches, and over 60,000 USAT annual members, so there is a lot of opportunity to coach athletes at all levels.

If you are interested in finding a USAT certified coach, you can check out USAT's coach listing.

Running Technique - Part 1

Most people just start running in a child-like manner and never actually learn anything about proper form. I was one of those people too, until I heard Bobby McGee speak at the USAT Level 1 Coaching Clinic. I think that I learned more about running from him in the first 5 minutes than I had learned in the previous 30 years of my life.

The most interesting thing that I learned was about heel striking. Heel striking is related to overstriding. Your foot should be landing underneath your body, and you should be landing on the midfoot or toes. When you heel strike, you are actually employing your quadriceps to catch you every time you take a stride. As your quadriceps catch you, they are also stopping you.

Next time you are out running, pay attention to how your foot strikes the ground. Are you landing on your heel, the midfoot, or your toes? Is your foot underneath your center of gravity? Are your quadriceps tired after a long run? Try taking quicker and shorter strides.

USAT's break with Ironman

I just read on the internet that USAT (USA Triathlon) will no longer sanction any Ironman North America races. That's right, the Hawaii Ironman will not be sanctioned by USAT. For more information, visit Duathlon.com or Slowtwitch.com. The two organizations cannot reach an agreement on rules.

Special Water Bottle Setup (for parents only)

I must be a family man and a triathlete. I still believe that balancing family life and training time is one of the most challenging aspects of multisport. Here you can see that my son Noah gave me a custom water bottle setup. I don't recommend this. It doesn't hold much water, and he usually wants it back before I leave.