Its All in a Day's Work...Motivation & Focus

OK, the question/s of the day are you still blogging and how the heck long were you and your weekend athletes riding at PCK? First, I'm back blogging baby...been a lil busy....a new session with yoga started, tax time and well no excuses, but the "weekend crew" and myself have been lighting up the riding hours and miles. The last statement begs the question....

...how much? A mere double century on the Computrainer a couple weeks ago, followed by another six hour riding extravaganza last weekend coupled with some Epic training hours during those weeks which included three hour plus runs, two hour swims...blah, blah, blah. Yes, a few of the PCK's riders and I did a few Epic training weeks. Why? It was spring break for some, there was a holiday thrown in there, we're nuts...we're bored...because we can...no, no, no. Because we are building an endurance base for our upcoming goals. These goals include Ironman Louisville, Lake Placid, Florida, "Moab in May"camp and hopefully another century ride Bill B.(hint...hint) amongst others. To quote one of my riders "We are F-O-C-U-S-E-D!"

OK, where am I going with this...two words Motivation and Focus. Let me share some to get you on your journey, put you back on it, or help you start one up.

Hopefully, you get the idea of whats involved in prepping for an Ironman; 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile marathon from the above. Now, take our Epic adventure/ers and bring out the Ironman/women in yourself. Albeit, a 10 mile, 25 mile, 50 mile or 100 mile adventure. The key to doing so is wrapping your head around an event or goal. First, pick your "poison," commit to it by building slowly to your goal i.e., a 6 week riding session at the Performance Center at Knapps. As they say, Rome was not built in a day and neither will your ability to accomplish this current "unachievable."

"Unachievables" are what I like to refer to as your dreams. Call me an optimist, but if you put your mind to it and as is necessary, in the case of cycling, putting your pedal time in...yes, you can achieve almost anything. So, your mind is in check...then what...keep it there! Keep it there by carving out time to sustain your training to reach your goal. I like to schedule my week on a day planner with whiteouts where my training is to take place. You can do the same with your "Crackberry," Post Its, abacus and/or sundial. Once scheduled, be stingy with that time. Do not give it up...its sacred. Yes, wear garlic around the neck to ward off the "vampires," do not let the "lunatics" run the asylum and really lets be serious nobody ever really wants a moment...before you know it your hour or lunchtime workout time has extinguished. Take home message... your day, week or month will be posed with many challenges. Therefore, let the scheduling "focus" your attention.

The journey starts with the first few steps...

...make yours today. Before you know it life will be in a state of "Flow." You will become a better mother/father, boss/coworker, son/daughter or whatever. I challenge you to start today and sign up for an event or announce an "unachievable" publicly so you are accountable!

Motivationally,
Drape

Warm weather...now what?...Ride!

OK, we are experiencing a "heat wave" here in the Northeast. Spring has sprung, bosses are going crazy with a sudden rash of illnesses at the workplace and cyclists are hitt'n the roads. These are the facts. The question I received many times over this week in class was how do we juggle our Computrainer sessions and riding outdoors with our friends;playing hooky to maximize results. My response...

...don't get caught by the boss... that's how! Seriously, what needs to be done is an evaluation of your week. As a coach, I like to first determine how many times per week you are going to ride....lets say for sake of example 5 times...check! Next, decide on two interval days on the Computrainer...Tuesday & Thursday...check! We are almost there. How about a day where you have lots of time for a long ride, preferably a non work day...Sunday, OK...bam! All our rider needs to do is fill in the blanks for recovery and/or rest days. It's best to follow a high intensity ride day with a recovery day. Therefore, our rider will ride outside with his/her "not feeling so well or in a meeting" friends on Wednesday and Friday for easy "recovery" rides...hmm, lots of Friday afternoon appointments that will run till the end of the day. Saturday can be a rest day and Sunday will be our rider's long ride day(1:30+). The week will look like this:

Mon: Recovery(Outside)

Tues: "Speed Intervals"(PCK)

Wednes:Recovery

Thurs: "Hill Intervals"(PCK)

Fri: Recovery; "meeting day" or OFF

Sat: Recovery or OFF

Sun: Long Ride(Outside)

There you have it! If you are a current PCK rider or deciding how to juggle it all...just follow the above formula or have one of our professionals map your road or triathlon plan out for you. Next Spring Indoor Cycling Session starts Monday March 28th. Iron your days out before then. This next session promises to be an exciting one with a focused approach on interval training during the week coupled with the addition post ride cycling specific yoga stretching lead by three new additions to the PCK team, namely yoga instuctors. Endurance rides will continue during the weekend.

Remember, what happens on the road stays on the road...your boss is just as guilty as you are. Cheers!

Drape

Experiencing the Tour at PCK: Col du Tourmalet

When you get a opportunity to ride one of the "Big Three Climbs of the Tour," namely the Col du Tourmalet, where do you go to train. The Performance Center at Knapps, of course. Today, I had the opportunity to give a couple riders an opportunity to feel what it will be like to ride the Tourmalet through our Computrainers.

The Tourmalet is one of the "big three" in the tour, together with the Aubisque and the Galibier. The Col du Tourmalet is situated in the Pyrenees. Starting from Sainte Marie de Campan, the Col du Tourmalet is 17.2 km long...just under 12 miles;see graph). Over this distance, you climb 1268 heightmeters. The average percentage is thus 7.4 %.(FYI: weekly PCK Indoor Riders we experienced a more difficult ride in the 20 mile interval class at a steady 6%, but of course we didn't put in the 10 plus "Tour Days" prior followed by 80 miles before getting there...so Lance and the rest of the 'boys of the Tour win, but if you want watercooler bragg'n rights maybe you can leave that detail out).


Check out the Tour De France starting July 3rd and catch a glimpse of the Tourmalet July 22 as the riders make their way through the climbing stages. If you are going to be going away for a bike trip this summer, let us get you ready at PCK.



Go Epic,

Drape

Endurance Cycling Nutrition

They say, "Its just like riding a bike...you never forget." What is it "They" are pertaining to? The Line...the crossing of the endurance finishline; albeit an Ironman or the like. The oh so important line where you experience, for an instance, the forever lasting engrained memory of the culmination of all your hard work and sacrifice.

So, what does it take to cross that IM or other endurance event line? Discipline, persistance, sacrifice, want, need , desire or...it can be said all of these are required, but without one important tool you will never see that line or hear the "famed words." What is it you ask...Nutrition. Without nutrition an endurance feat of greater than 90 minutes is usually hampered or tagged with a big fat DNF; Did Not Finish.

Why am I focusing on food? Well, two reasons its National Nutrition Month and I just finished a coaching session with a mixed bag of endurance athletes(2 IM Athletes, A Century Rider, a partidge in a pear tree and me;IM athlete). So, lets paint today's scenario and teach you a thing or two about endurance sports nutrition.

The plan was to do a four hour Computrainer Ride on the Ironman Lake Placid Bike Course. Hell, for a couple of my riders they would deem this accomplishment a miracle if it went perfect. Hence, the choice in ride in the land of where "Miracles" happen, Lake Placid. So, now you have the picture...4 riders, a challenging hilly course and one goal...Finish...with blood sugar levels in check! Well, to put the cart in front of the horse... we all survived. But, how did the novice first timers do it. Coaching of course! I passed along my knowledge and experience of finishing multiple IM races through exhausted nutrition protocols and a lil college "edumacation" in Nutrition and Dietetics to my followers.

A few keys to my athletes success would be highlighted by:

1. Sticking to a regimen. Most worked the 15min and 45min points; alternating between solids and liquids at these time intervals. Terrain would someimes alter this experience. "Take in" on the downhills and flats and "pass" during the uphills especially the 18% grades(right Bill B).

2. Planning Ahead. All the atletes had their arsenol of nourishment including gels, bars, bananas, Gatorade, Powerade and any other simple sugars they could stash into their jersey(Bill K. remember that extra gel next time).

3. Listening to the gut. If it was churning, they backed off and popped in a lil water. As the gut settled, nutrition regimen back on. Intensity can reap havic on your digestion and absorption...practice! Don't FORCE it down if bloated.

4. Prescribed calorie amounts. Have your nutritional professional setup what your hourly needs are. Then just pick your poison. If you don't have a nutrition professional; an RD. Check out my partners at Trismarter.com they can meet all your endurance nutrition needs and they are running a special this month. Just mention "PCKTRI."

Well, its about that time to take advantage of the 4th event of triathon....Recovery. See you all at the "line". And yes the partridge did make the 4 hours solely on "pear power."

Carb Up!

National Nutrition Month®: $100 OFF SPECIAL!
March 5th, 2010
This press release from the American Association of Dietetics is just in time for the rapidly approaching 2010 triathlon season.

“National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. Registered Dietitian Day, also celebrated in March, increases awareness of registered dietitians as the indispensable providers of food and nutrition services and recognizes RDs for their commitment to helping people enjoy healthy lives.”

In the spirit of National Nutrition Month® and Registered Dietitian Day® (March 10, 2010), we’re excited to offer $100 OFF any of our Eat2Win Sports Nutrition Services including the popular Comprehensive Training Diet Analysis, Meal Planning Solutions and Weight Managment for Peak Performance Program. This $100 OFF offer is applicable to the first month only of any of our Eat2Win monthly services and only new clients are eligible. This offer expires at midnight on March 12, 2010.

Take a look at our expert team of dietitians and triathlon nutrition experts at http://www.trismarter.com/ today for more information or to find out which service is right for you. Mention “$100 OFF" and The Performance Center at Knapps(PCKTRI) to take advantage of this special offer!