1. Your heart rate may not respond as it did during a million workouts leading up to the race.  This is due to hydration levels, excitement, focus, and many other factors.  So, unless you’re cool like that, then leave the heart rate monitor on the shelf.

2. You probably won’t sleep well the night before the big race.  Don’t worry about it.  You probably slept well 2 nights before the race, which is more important.  As long as you’re laying down the whole time then you can consider yourself rested!

3. When the gun goes off, you will hopefully focus rightaway on swimming your pace.  Warning: your pace is going to feel slower than how it felt in the pool.  You’re amped with adrenaline, your wetsuit provides jet propulsion because of the buoyancy, and if you’re smart then you’re drafting off someone.  As a beginner, it is best to just sit back and enjoy what feels like a leisurely pace.

4. If you’re competing in an Olympic distance triathlon or beyond, then be cautious of the I-feel-so-good-I-don’t-need-to-eat-or-drink zone during the bike or run.  This would happen somewhere probably after the halfway point on the bike.  You feel good, everything seems to be clicking along, so you decide eating or drinking could mess up the flow.  It’s a trap set by the bear around the corner that’s about to jump on your back if you fall for it!  Eat.  Drink.  And continue to be merry.

5. No caffeine race morning.  I already know the arguments in favor of having caffeine race morning (fat oxidation, glycogen sparing, etc.).  I also know the risks (frequent bathroom breaks, dehydration, more energy than you know what to do with, etc.).  The risks outweigh the benefits.

6. Be normal (I know that’s asking a lot of some of you .  Race morning is not the time to dedicate 30 minutes (for the first time) to your very tight hamstrings; You should have tended to that a month ago… so it’s too late.  There is such thing as overstretching a muscle.  Don’t do it.

7. The day before the race you are likely going to have some anxiety in your legs, so-to-speak.  Meaning: your legs may feel tired, weak, or genarlly apathetic.  That’s just the nerves.  Some anxiety is fine, even good.  In the literature it’s referred to as optimal arousal.

It’s ok to be a newby… just don’t act like one.  I hope these tips help!

It has no nutritional value, but it is often referred to as a nutritional ergogenic aid (i.e., an external aid that improves performance).  It is absorbed quickly, and potentially affects all systems of the body since it is absorbed by most tissues.  Its positive effects include sharpened focus/alertness and glycogen sparing through the augmented use of body fast as a source of fuel.   Are you still baffled as to why there is a Starbucks on every block in every major city!

The question still remains: To caffeinate or not to caffeinate? 

In the 1970’s studies suggested caffeine enhanced endurance performance.  The studies suggested caffeine triggered the release of body fat to be used as a fuel source.  Stored carbohydrates (glycogen) is in limited supply in the body, and your body’s preferred source of energy, so preserving it would therefore increase performance. 

In the 1980’s studies found that caffeine did not alter exercise metabolism!  Although, those studies did not actually measure performance… go figure. 

Recent work has turned the scales yet again in favor of caffeine’s ergogenic effects.  Specifically, 3-9 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight about one hour prior to exercise has been shown to increase performance.  In practical terms, a person weighing 150 pounds should consume 200 mg of caffeine, which is equal to about 1 mug of drip-percolated coffee.  These studies observed well-trained or elite athletes however, so the interpretation is a little fuzzy for the weekend warrior.

 There are cautions and limitations, of course:

***Caffeine improves performance for events that last approximately 5 minutes at 90-100% intensity.  Sprint performance, on the other hand, is not improved.  The reasons for this are still relatively unknown.

***There are also side effects of caffeine ingestion that may outweigh the benefits: anxiety, jitters, inability to focus, insomnia, and irritability to name a few.

If you still want to ride the caffeine train, then know that the optimal dose is 3-6 mg/kg body weight.  Side effects are minimized at this dose, and for the elite out there, urine levels are legal at this dosage.

My professional opinion: Experiment!  You may be one of the lucky ones who gets to fill his/her water bottle with Columbian Bold.  More than likely, the dehydration, increased bowel movements, increased heart rate and body temperature, anxiety, and irritability will not prove to be helpful when standing at the starting line of your next marathon.

Tim Hola

Tim joins an elite lineup of coaches, athletes, and therapists for the first annual Colorado Endurance Conference on March 13th @ The Denver Athletic Club!

Why commit to something you disdain?  Think of your workday like a school day in third grade.  Cursive writing for 40 minutes, and then spelling, and then environment class, and then… Ever see a child get bored with recess?  Some of you have, yes, I know.  But most kids don’t.  You know why?  Because it’s the one time of day that they do whatever they want to do!  And do they play on the monkey bars the entire time!  NO!  They run constantly from 4-square, to tag, to the slide, back to 4-square, and they don’t stop, and they laugh the entire time!  Do that!

There’s one catch.  You have to go to the gym, even if you don’t want to.  But once you’re there, follow your instincts.  You’ll be surprised at how good of a workout you get in.  You may even go longer than you anticipated.  Soon enough, you will think of your workout more like recess, instead of study hall!

OK, so there’s two catches.  If you feel like running 10 miles and you’ve never even walked a mile, then maybe a few rules would do you some good.  Here are the basic rules of unruliness:

1. Warm up.  Even if it’s just for 5 minutes, it’ll help to prepare you for whatever craziness your subconscious has in store for you.
2. Ease into it.  The first few exercises should be a notch up from the warm up.  Consider it warm up part 2.
3. Use proper form.  Do pushups until you collapse if you like, but never compromise your posture.  Bad form = injury = detention.
4. Commit to at least 30 minutes of activity.  It’s a rule.  Even though you get to follow your folly, it must involve activity. 
5. Stretch when you’re done for at least 5 minutes.  You probably worked some muscles you forgot about; they’ll probably be sore and tight tomorrow; stretch.

Here’s an internal dialogue that goes through my mind during a typical strength workout:

I feel like doing pushups…9, 10, 11…I feel like stopping…on to a standing 1 arm chest press…8, 9, 10…feels pretty good, although the weight is a bit light, oh well…18, 19, 20…it’s starting to burn, I like this one…32, 33, 34…that’s enough…I think I’ll hop on an elliptical now…

That’s it.  Do what you want, have fun, play, and unleash your unruliness!

Jim Hooper

Jim has 20 years of experience in the field of sports injury treatment/prevention and general wellness.  He has participated in numerous endurance events and utilizes his rehabilitation expertise to provide a unique insight into the training program of an endurance athlete.

Sign up is only $85.  Click here to register!

Bob Seebohar

Bob has a bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sports Science, a master’s degree in Health and Exercise Science and a second master’s degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition.  He is a registered dietitian, exercise physiologist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a High Performance Triathlon Coach.

Bob will be speaking at the Colorado Endurance Conference on March 13th @ 9 AM in the Grand Ballroom at The Denver Athletic Club.  Registration is available at www.active.com.  The focus of his presentation will be his new book, Metabolic Efficiency Training.  Learn how to conserve precious carbohydrates, burn more fat, and get to the finish line faster and stronger!  Bob will be available to sign copies of the book as well!!

Checkout the website or go straight to registration!

Here’s a classic picture from last year’s event, taken by Ross Bothwell of Elegant Images & Photographs.

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