Eat, Play, Sleep

Overtraining

2011-06-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

This is a short article I've rehabilitated from a variation my old coach gave me when I first starting training for triathlons...Enjoy!

The danger of overtraining is that human beings (especially endurance athletes) often try to achieve more than they are capable of before their bodies are physically prepared for it. The brain of a beginning endurance athlete tends to expect perfection or exceptional results before the body is prepared to deliver. I'm not throwing stones here as experienced endurance athletes are also constantly fighting the battle to not overtrain. It comes down to individual discipline. The difference between beginners and experienced endurance athletes is that experience has taught them how to identify signs of overtraining, understand the potentially serious consequences, and the best way to reverse the course if overtraining has occurred.

Initial symptoms of overtrained athletes include sleeplessness, trouble relaxing, restlessness, suffering cold symptoms, or the onset of more serious illness. Common signs of serious overtraining include fatigue, recurrent headaches, diarrhea, weight loss, decreased hormone levels, loss of appetite, and trouble with concentration. Many factors can contribute to an overtrained athlete even outside the level of physical training; including poor nutritional habits, poor balance of social life, work, training, and family commitments. It is a struggle to balance all of these things, the trick is to know when to pull the ripcord and take some time for yourself. That is where it gets tricky. Why?

Most endurance athletes are not capable of making objective assessments of what he or she is capable of as an individual, thus we make poor training decisions. We still have the hunter-gatherer and survival instincts that has evolved since the dawn of man. We don’t want to appear weak, even to ourselves. When the first signs of overtraining occur – poor training performance, physical illness, or loss of mental focus – we tend to think that we are just weak and must train harder. We think that the harder we train, the faster we will go. And when performance continues to degrade, we might even blame it on the false perception that we have undertrained! News Flash: More is not always better ladies and gentlemen.

Continuing to exercise when you are overtrained is counterproductive because your ongoing efforts will only result in additional poor training performance including but not limited to improper form and an increased likelihood of injury. The only way to combat the overtrained body and mind is to rest and even stop training until the body is recovered and the desire to train returns. The easiest trick to preventing overtraining is to follow your training plans to the prescribed amount - only swimming, biking, or running at the effort level and intensity as detailed. Take rest days when they are assigned and avoid the temptation to switch workouts around without consulting your coach. Take care of your bodies by eating a balanced diet, sleeping 6-8 hours per night, and avoid over-taxing your body with the more is better lifecycle of exercise, social life, family commitments, and work.

Make sure you have your priorities defined and aligned so you know when a sacrifice in one aspect of your life is necessary to maintain overall physical and mental health. Most importantly, listen to your body. It will tell you when it is tired, and the trick is to not ignore it. You are not supposed to train ‘tired’ all of the time. Listen to your coach and use him/her as an objective gauge. If you think that you might be over doing it, do not hesitate to reach out to your coach.

Great Article for Bike Buying

2011-06-02T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

Jana (my wife) and I are coaching swimming for TNT this summer and we have a great group of people training for the Pac Crest Triathlon (Half and Oly). Our very smart head coach of the half team, Glen Sharp, wrote this fantastic article about bike buying. It is the bees knees - well organized and comprehensive! Check it out for all you looking for your next bike. This is for anyone and everyone no matter your experience level!

Bike Buying Guide

Tips on Basic Nutrition for Training and Losing Weight

2011-05-30T22:23:00.000-07:00

Let me say now just so there is no confusion and I don't get myself in to trouble. I'm not a registered dietician. I do not purport to be an authority or expert of any kind on nutrition. I simply enjoy the subject both personally and as a triathlon coach, and I like to share the knowledge that has been handed down to me.

Now with that out of the way...I always seem to hear a variation of this question: "How do I get what I need nutrition wise while training and still lose weight?"

Let me cover some basics that you can't get around (especially 1 and 2):

1) As a baseline for any endurance training athlete you need twice the amount of calories per your weight in lbs for every hour after the first hour of training. So if I trained 2 hours today (weighing 150 lbs), I would need 300 calories after the first hour (accounting for the 2nd hour). This comes from the assumption that your daily caloric intake takes into account that you are an 'active' person. If one were to assume you had light activity or were sedentary, you could account for each hour of activity. Meaning that same 2 hours would need 600 calories because the assumption is your caloric intake for the day doesn't factor moderate activity (usually defined by an hour of activity). Thoroughly confused yet? Don't worry it gets easier.

2) Losing weight. It's simple math...Keep my calories burnt higher than my caloric intake. The tough part about training with this is keeping it steady and a small enough margin so as not to cost you energy when working out. Some principles to accomplish this fall below...

3) Eat more earlier in the day and snack as needed. No matter what time you are working out at, your system and workouts will benefit from a 'pre-load'. It's not just doctor's suggestions, there is plenty of science behind having bigger breakfasts (and bigger lunches), and keeping dinner a bit smaller. Here is how I would suggest:

Breakfast 30% of caloric needs. If you workout early in the morning like swim; split this in two. Eat what you can before the workout in that 30% (maybe 10%, maybe 15%), than ideally 30 minutes after complete your breakfast. You benefit from both fueling your workout before and replenishing your systems (especially those broken down muscle cells with the protein they need to hypertrophy). Then ideally...

Mid-Morning Snack 10%

Lunch 30%

Late Afternoon Snack 10%

Dinner 20%...If you workout late in the day, say after work...Try and eat dinner in between or if it is late, an hour before the workout. A common mistake is to workout late, eat big late, go to sleep. Your body's metabolic rate slows down throughout the day and especially when you sleep. Eating dinner before the workout provides you good fuel for your workout, but also gives you the opportunity to metabolize your last meal of the day more efficiently. A post workout recovery snack or drink is usually the last thing you want in your body before you close things down, but well before you hit the pillow if you can help it.

Variations...I wouldn't vary too much from these break downs, but if you do, try and pre-load early as much as possible. Eating 45 minutes to an hour before a workout is ideal for energy and digestion and eating within 30 minutes after is ideal for protein intake for muscle regeneration.

4) Follow the same breakdown of percentages in calories as per your spread of protein. You'll need at least 50% of your weight in protein grams throughout the day, but ideally 70-75% for the ladies. For men you'll land in the 85% to 100% of your body weight in grams per day (though this would be an area where you'd want to consult a medical professional about your metabolism and nutritional history). I've known some people that can handle much more and much less. It takes some fine tuning and figuring out which protein source works best for you.

Speaking of which...I get this question plenty: "What can I do for protein if I'm a vegetarian?"

Here are my ideas for protein rich foods for vegetarian needs.

#1 Whey powder. Whey is significantly better in scientific studies than other protein supplement powders or substitutes including soy and hemp. Putting whey in yogurt, oatmeal, and smoothies is an easy solution as well.

#2 Milk, Yogurt and Eggs. Milk and yogurt have whey, but you don't want to get to heavy on it. Eggs are a great source of protein, and you can do egg whites (though I would do 50/50 on whites and yolks). Yolks have too many benefits to pass up. These foods bring up another theme as I think about the chocolate milk trend for a recovery drink for athletes - everything in moderation. I see a lot of different kicks out there in every realm of the food world, but a great rule to staying healthy and maintaining that health is moderation. You'd be surprised how hard that is for many people (including yours truly).

#3 Beans and Grain. You'll get almost the same benefit in each of the proteins in either beans or any type of grain, but beans pack more punch per serving with the protein comparatively.

#4 Soy. Bottom line...soy can be good for a lot of reasons (in moderation), but for rebuilding muscle (and make no mistake, that's what you do in endurance training - breakdown 'slowtwitch' muscles and build them back up) soy is far down the list. I was disappointed myself when I read some of the studies.

5) Finally, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Most people tend to think about taking in water only when they are working out or "need" it. Only problem there is that most people don't realize how much water they really do need. The average person should fall somewhere around 64 oz a day. That's not even taking into account activity levels. Another thing about hydration and weight loss is that it's easy to confuse thirst for hunger. Our bodies are tricky like that. Next time you are hungry have a glass of water and see if that hunger is still there. If so, go have a snack or a meal. If not, your body was telling you it was thirsty.

Since this isn't really a write-up about hydration itself I'll save that for later, but in terms of staying healthy, training, and still losing weight you need plenty of water. If you can get in the habit of keeping a bottle around you all day (at work and home) and keep sipping from it you'll do yourself a great service. I personally like to try and get a gallon a day, but I'm not always so successful. Other good habits...Have a glass of water at every meal and every snack. Drink a glass of water even if you order another drink at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In the end opt for water over other beverages. More on that to come...

That's all I have for now, but I'd love to hear any feedback. Love it, like it, or hate it.

Coach B

Beginnings

2011-05-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

Introductions:

In kicking off the start of my blog of all things eating, playing, and sleeping I unearthed an old article in the playing category about pedal selection I think many beginner to intermediate triathletes and cyclists could find educational. Thanks for coming by to visit and I hope you decide to follow and enjoy the content!

On a Side Note...

I'll try and talk mostly about food (because I love it) and give tips and dialogue about 'playing' defined as training along the way. Not sure how much I'll talk about sleep, but I just liked the ring of the title. Enjoy the article.

Pimp Your Ride…
By Brian Hain
Circa 2007 Published in TriDC

As we kick off our initial issue, what better way to make waves than to create a trademark infringement issue with MTV by taking a page from their popular television series? But honestly what kind of triathlete would I be if I didn’t give this running column the appropriate name -- as you’ll come to understand.

We all have them, we all love them, and, yes, we all want to make them functionally better for training and racing, while still looking good. So this column is all about how to equip one’s bike with the right gear for the triathlete’s needs and wants. For our initial issue, I took a poll, and pedals were the place to start…Moving forward, I do hope that our readership will drive this gear review and let this TriDC writer know what area of their bike they are most interested in ‘pimping’…

Without further ado: Pedals! Because there are so many pedal options out there as there is with most gear, I’ll start with the basics and then move to specifics. It’s probably important to note that this column is here simply to provide some insight. It’s not a comprehensive review or a sell job for that matter. I just hope you walk away with enough knowledge and material to make a well-informed decision when choosing your pedals (and any gear for your bike in future columns).

For the newest triathlete(s), the most basic choice is whether to ride with platforms, clips, or clipless. Platforms are just a basic pedal that you put your everyday shoe on top of and push down on. Clips are the pedals that have cages that can be strapped down to the everyday shoe and encase the top of your foot. Clipless, the most commonly used among triathletes and cyclists, have a specific bike shoe that will temporarily lock the bottom of your shoe to the pedal . If you want to be an efficient cyclist, the clipless pedal is the way to go. It gives you full range of motion in your stroke, letting you utilize not just the push, but also the pull!

How to Choose:

Clipless pedals differ widely in style and performance, basically because of competition. each manufacturer thinks it can make better pedals than another. I’ll try to give you as objective an analysis as possible and show you what the major manufacturers offer.

First, look for a clipless pedal system that is user-friendly -- for you. . If the pedal continues to be difficult to clip in and out of after you’ve taken the proper measures and practiced for a while, keep looking.

Second, do you want dual-sided pedals? With these, you just step down and go without having to look at which side of the pedal is up. A single-sided pedal is tougher to adjust to if you are constantly clipping in and out, but frequently weighs less.
Third, do you want a clipless pedal system with float, and what type of float: recentering or non-re-centering? During the pedal stroke, legs and feet follow their natural path. Float can improve pedaling efficiency by reinforcing a smoother pedal stroke. Some pedal systems use re-centering float, in which a spring centering action forces your feet into a sometimes unnatural riding position depending on your alignment, but a non-re-centering or "free float" system allows your feet to find the most comfortable position even if it’s not the ideal “textbook” stroke.
As you become a more experienced triathlete and look for a competitive edge, other important features in clipless pedal systems include weight, contact (platform), area (shoe to cleat and cleat to pedal), and even foot-spindle distance.

So what are my choices?
The 4 biggest manufacturers in road pedals include:

Look
Shimano
Speedplay
Time

Others include:

Campagnolo
Crank Brothers
Keywin

Look Pedals… In 1984, the French company LOOK applied downhill–snow-skiing binding or cleat technology to pedals, producing the first practical clipless pedals. The cleat is engaged by pushing down and forward on the pedal, or, with some designs, by twisting the cleat in sideways. Then, much like all modern pedal systems, the cyclist releases a foot from the pedal by twisting the heel outward. The Look Keo is currently the main production model line for cyclists and triathletes alike. This system boasts a lighter–weight, maximal-surface contact area between the shoe and pedal, and the cleat system is compatible with virtually all cycling shoes. Possible disadvantages to the Look Keo system and Look cleats in general are the single sided system (although racing doesn’t require constant clipping in and out), and the slippery and larger surface area of the cleat for walking/running through transition, for those who haven’t adopted the more advanced method of bike transitioning (leaving the shoes clipped in at all times). Additionally, Look’s pedal systems don’t allow for the float like their competitors, driving your stroke to limited adaptation outside of a textbook alignment.

Shimano…Shimano, the current leader in bike component manufacturing, offers a functional and practical solution to the clipless system, but sacrifices a bit of that competitive edge. If being able to run in your bike shoes is a big consideration, you’ll like the Shimano SPD style clip that actually serves there MTB (or off road pedals). But the greater weight of their double-sided SPD clips dulls that competitive edge...An important note: Shimano has also created a line of cleats that feature SPD SL compatibility, which is, essentially, Look compatible (the original Look cleats, not the Look Keo model cleat).

Speedplay… This system offers a simple, lightweight, and easy-to-use pedal. Speedplays are dual-sided, offer free float, secure retention, a stable cleat-to-shoe contact area, and minimum foot-spindle distance. The float as discussed before is a big selling point for the Speedplay as it allows the rider’s stroke to have as much freedom as needed. However, there is much argument as to whether free-float helps keep a cyclist or triathlete from injury due to faulty alignment or merely reinforces improper balance and stroke, resulting in injury in another form.

Time… Gear reviewers argue about which is the more efficient and user-friendly pedal on the market -- the Speedplay X series or the Time RXS? The RXS is Time’s feature model line and offers an excellent weight-to-platform area ratio. This pedal system also features a single-sided pedal, but it has an easier clip-in method due to pedal balance. The RXS also features lateral float, which causes less stress on the knees for those that have potential alignment or injury issues, but does not have the free float of the Speedplays.

So, that’s all well and good, but I still don’t know what to purchase…

The last factor and sometimes the most important for any athlete when evaluating their gear is cost, so to close it all up for you…

If your budget calls for something that will get you by, but still give you the advantage of having a clipless pedal than you’ll want to take a look at the Shimano SPD MTB pedals. These provide good function and practicality in exchange for a little more weight. The base line for these pedals runs around $50 - $60 retail.

If you have the ability to take a step up in budget and you are looking to get a great pedal with good value than you’ll probably want to take a look at the Time RXS series and/or the Look Keo series. These pedals offer a lot on there baseline models for a cost for less than around $100 retail. If you are even willing to spend a few more dollars than the Speedplay X series Chrome-Moly edition is a great choice for a double sided pedal with some float.

And, finally if you are looking to make a serious investment in quality pedals than you’ll want to take a look at the carbon and even the titanium models of the Look Keos, Time RXS, and the Speedplay Zero series. All of these have different attributes that you might find advantageous.

Hopefully, this has been a good initial glimpse into the pedal world for your inquiring minds…

BH